Cambodia News (Phnom Penh): At 3:30 pm on 22 April 2023 in Sangkat Chak Angre Krom, Khan Meanchey, Phnom Penh, a group of five boys and girls went down to the river for a swim after school.
A woman at the scene said she saw the students playing happily in the river, but then one of the girls slipped and fell into a deep pool of water. She couldn't swim, and even though her friends tried to save her, she sank into the water and drowned. The kids shouted for help, and a fisherman came along in his boat to search for the girl. He dived into the water and recovered the girl's body. She was 15 year old Nith Satya, a student at Chak Angre Krom School, in Phnom Penh.

The fisherman went to report the drowning to the authorities, who called the childrens' parents to come to pick them up the police station. The forensic police were notified, and after they examined the body, they confirmed that the girl died from drowning. The body was then handed over to the family for a traditional ceremony at Chak Angre Krom pagoda. RIP.

Always shocking to hear - these drownings are so common in a land of water pools. Is it because they have 0 fat on their bodies they sink like a stone?

David Gordon wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 12:07 am Always shocking to hear - these drownings are so common in a land of water pools. Is it because they have 0 fat on their bodies they sink like a stone?

I think not being able to swim would be the main factor.

Random Dude wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:53 am

David Gordon wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 12:07 am Always shocking to hear - these drownings are so common in a land of water pools. Is it because they have 0 fat on their bodies they sink like a stone?

I think not being able to swim would be the main factor.

Is there not a basic instinctive response that a person can utilize to stay up a wee bit - at least before getting exhausted? I see videos of infants that can swim.

John Bingham wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:40 am

David Gordon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:09 am
Is there not a basic instinctive response that a person can utilize to stay up a wee bit - at least before getting exhausted? I see videos of infants that can swim.

It doesn't generally work like that. If a person hasn't learned how to float, paddle or swim they will often just sink below the depths with little fanfare.

so sad. Glad my mother took up for swim lessons every summer and also our grade 5 class also went for some. It should be essential learning.

Freightdog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:03 am I taught our older two kids to swim. Getting over the language barrier took some doing. The biggest impediment was getting them to relax. Instead, they’d go rigid, or squirm when they got uncomfortable. The next step would be sinking. Once they had they confidence to relax, the rest started to fall into place pretty quickly.

If you’re already shocked, surprised, or just well out of your comfort zone, relaxing is the last thing on your mind. A couple of frantic gulps of water, and it’s pretty much over if there’s no one else to intervene. That goes for reasonably confident swimmers, too.

I agree. if you're not comfortable in the water you'll never be a decent swimmer.

I've taught a few people to swim over the years, mostly in Asia where they grew up being taught to fear water. I'd always start with getting them comfortable just playing in shallow water - being able to play in the water breaks down a lot of barriers. When you know that if you're flopping around helpless in the water all you need to do is stand up, you're a lot more relaxed about putting your face in the water, then learning to float. Confidence is everything.