Costa Del Sol deaths: Brit mum whose husband & two kids drowned in swimming pool ‘prayed for their hearts to beat again’
A BRIT who lost her husband and two kids in a Costa Del Sol Christmas Eve pool tragedy prayed for them as another tourist performed CPR, a witness has said.
According to Josias Fletchman, 35, the mum “stayed calm” as she touched her loved ones’ and prayed their hearts would start beating again while the man tried to save her husband’s life.
The horror incident happened around 1.30pm yesterday at Club La Costa World, a sprawling holiday resort overlooking the Med a short drive from Fuengirola.
A nine-year-old girl got into difficulties in the resort’s swimming pool and her older brother, 16, and their 52-year-old father jumped into the water to save her.
Mr Fletchman, from Manchester, said he returned to the apartment block as staff at the Club La Costa World complex were pulling the three out of the water.
“She was calm. She was touching their bodies. She continued praying even after the ambulance people arrived and had stopped trying to revive them,” he said.
“She exercised her faith to the limit. I was performing CPR on her husband but I’m a believer and I prayed as well.
“She strengthened me in the way she reacted. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
The children’s mum is understood to have been one of the people who raised the alarm and is thought to have been interviewed by investigators.
Eni Raja, 22, originally from Norway but now living in Birmingham, added: “I saw the bodies with the three white blankets over them.
“They were by the pool and the man’s bare foot was sticking out from the blanket he was under.
“The mum was crying. I can’t get the image out of my mind.”
The family of five had checked into Club La Costa World on December 21 and were due to stay till Saturday.
Trained counsellors are now spending time with the mum and her other child, thought to be a teenage daughter, while other relatives jet to Spain from the UK.
Police insisted they were keeping an open mind on the reasons for the triple tragedy.
Resort chiefs have, however, said they had been told there was no anomaly with the pool circulation system.
Investigators are understood to have analysed the circulation system including the pump, network of skimmers and drains to check for any suction problems which could be deadly for young children.
Local reports say they have also searched for any items of clothing that might have got stuck in the pool drain and taken water samples to test ahead of the autopsies, which were due to take place at Malaga’s Institute of Forensic Medicine
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Costa Club World spokesman Juan Jose Millan was unable to offer any explanation for what had occurred.
But he said they were co-operating fully with the police investigation and insisted he was not aware of any problems with the pool.
“The pool has all its paperwork in order and what we know from the Civil Guard is that there is no anomaly with the pool suction system which press reports have highlighted.
“There’s never been a problem with the pool and we receive hundreds of guests every week.
“It’s been functioning for years and it’s checked on a regular basis.
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He added: “This has been a terrible occurrence and staff and some guests are receiving psychological support along with the family.
“Other relatives are going to be arriving soon to be with them.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are offering assistance to a British woman following an incident in Spain.”
