British boy, 14, drowns in hotel swimming pool during family wedding at Turkish beach resort

• The boy got into difficulty while swimming in a pool at the Liberty Lara resort
• He was allegedly pulled out of the five star resort pool in Antalya by a barman
• Onlookers alleged the lifeguard on duty left the pool unattended to go on lunch
• Resort ‘categorically denied’ the claims and said it is co-operating with police
• News of the tragic incident came as the death toll from drowning amid the heatwave in the UK reached 22 at the weekend 

A British teenager has drowned at a Turkish holiday resort while celebrating a family wedding.

The 14-year-old, who has not yet been named, was swimming in the Liberty Lara beach hotel pool in Antalya on Sunday afternoon when he got into difficulty.

He was pulled unconscious from the pool by a barman at the all-inclusive resort and was given CPR on the scene before being rushed to a nearby hospital, according to a holidaymaker who saw the incident.

Police meanwhile are now investigating claims that the lifeguard, who was supposed to be on duty while the boy drowned, had left the pool unattended to go on lunch break.

One onlooker told The Sun: ‘This happened around 1pm and we heard the lifeguard had gone for lunch. 

‘They tried very hard to revive the boy at the side of the pool but it was too late.’

The Liberty Lara hotel told The Sun the claims surrounding the absentee lifeguard were false. 

MailOnline has contacted the hotel for comment. 

The Liberty Lara resort in Antalya, Turkey, boasts several pools. The boy was allegedly pulled from the pool by a barman who noticed he had gone under

The 14-year-old, who has not yet been named, was swimming in the Liberty Lara beach hotel pool in Antalya on Sunday afternoon when he got into difficulty

The luxury resort hotel boasts five pools, including one with a waterslide, along with a spa experience, all-inclusive restaurant and several bars.

In a statement provided to The Sun, a Liberty Lara spokesperson insisted: ‘In accordance with the rules and regulations regarding the lifeguards we have stationed at all of our pools, water slide splash pools, observation tower on the beach and on the pier, when a lifeguard takes a lunch break, another lifeguard will take his or her place.

‘There are CCTV cameras located around the pool area which have been viewed by both the Liberty Lara management and the local police. Lifeguards were on the scene within 30 seconds. 

‘We have one additional lifeguard over the numbers required to ensure that the pools are not left unattended when a lifeguard takes a lunch break.’

News of the unfortunate incident in Turkey came as the death toll from drowning amid the summer heatwave in Britain hit 22 this weekend.

The body of a man in his 20s was pulled from Doncaster Lake on Saturday, just hours after a swimmer in Black Country nature reserve also died.

South Yorkshire Police issued a statement on Saturday evening that following an incident in Lakeside, Doncaster, a body was found. 

An air ambulance also landed after an urgent search was launched. The statement read: ‘Emergency services responded to the lake at around 4.10pm today, after receiving calls that a man, aged in the 20s, had got in to difficulty in the water.

‘No formal identification has yet taken place. The man’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.’

Witness Lynne Lawrence said she heard a police aeroplane circulating for half an hour, and later saw a helicopter had landed.

She said: ‘All I heard was some young guys had gone in the lake… the rescue workers were stood on the shore looking at the lake.’ 

Another unidentified man was discovered in water at Park Lime Pits nature reserve in Walsall on Saturday morning. 

He was confirmed dead at the scene in Rushall after his body was spotted just after 10am.

Police officers have now launched an investigation and are treating his death as unexplained. Work is being carried out to identify the man and inform his family of his death, it has been confirmed.

The body of a man in his 20s was pulled from Doncaster Lake on Saturday just hours after a swimmer in Black Country nature reserve died, as the heatwave drowning toll hits 22. (Pictured, the air ambulance which landed after the urgent search was launched)

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: ‘The body of a man was discovered in water at Park Lime Pits, Walsall, at just after 10am today (August 13).

‘Sadly the man was confirmed dead at the scene and we’re in the process of identifying and informing his family.

‘The death is currently being treated as unexplained.’

It came after two people were pulled from bodies of water on Thursday as the country was again hit with sweltering temperatures.

A body was pulled from the River Thames near a sailing club after a frantic search for a man who had disappeared under the water – as sky-high temperatures plunged the country into drought.

Firefighters, paramedics and a dive team were called to a stretch of the waterway near Desborough Sailing Club in Shepperton, Surrey at around 8pm on Thursday night following reports a man had gone underwater but then failed to resurface.

The man’s next of kin are aware and are being supported by specially trained officers, Surrey Police added in a statement.

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