Cambodia News(Kandal): A tragic event occurred on 4 May 2022, at 15:00, when some students who finished school went to the Mekong River to fish, and then went into the river to swim which resulted in them drowning, in Prek Takeo 2 Village, Samrong Thom Commune, Kien Svay District, Kandal Province.
The victims were 14 year old Khun Serey Sophea, and 15 year old Sot Piseth who both lived in Prek Treng 2 Village.

An anonymous witness saw Khun Serey Sophea drowning and Sot Piseth jumping into the water about 4 to 5 meters from the riverbank, close to the shore. Khun Serey Sophea had raised his hands from the waters calling for help and Soth Piseth tried to pull him ashore but slipped and fell into the water, hugging Khun Serey Sophea, which ended in both of them drowning in the river.


After that, another friend tried to dive into the river, but still could not find the victims. The people of Prek Takeo village came to help and called for a boatman, Chaira, to dive and find the bodies. In the end, they found Khun Serey Sophea, and Sot Piseth, both dead, hugging each other in the Mekong River.
Residents then reported to the Samrong Thom Police Station, who arrived at the scene in cooperation with the forensic police of Kien Svay district. After examination, the bodies of the two deceased teenagers were handed over to the family for funerary rites.
RIP.

they found Khun Serey Sophea, and Sot Piseth, both dead, hugging each other in the Mekong

Gave up without a struggle ?

Hard to imagine hugging with no air ..

Thinking hard because it’s so sad for them .

Grabbing at each other in their panic i imagine. First thing they teach you doing beach lifesaver training in NZ, a drowning person will try to take you with them.

Freeboots wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 1:49 pm Grabbing at each other in their panic i imagine. First thing they teach you doing beach lifesaver training in NZ, a drowning person will try to take you with them.

Yes, we were taught the rule, ‘reach, throw, wade, row’.
Getting out of your depth (literally) with a drowning person was an absolute last resort for exactly that reason.

Too many kids drowning. Another student drowns during an after-school swim:


Banteay Meanchey Province: The police officer of the commune administration station informs that the victim of this latest drowning is a boy named Dara Borey, age 15 years old, and is a student in grade 06, Tayeng Prey Veng High School. He was swimming with a friend, who tried to save him but was unsuccessful.
The family insisted on taking the boy to hospital to be resuscitated, but he had already passed away and there was no way to save him.
RIP.

Another tragic drowning today:
Two children drowned in Khon Rang commune, Boribo district
Cambodia News, (Kampong Chhnang Province): On Saturday, May 28, 2022, at 7:00am, two children drowned in Trapeang Po village, Khon Rong commune, Boribo district.
1-Name is Yong Vanny, female, 12 years old
2-Name is Yong Panha, Male, 7 years old
The two kids were declared dead on arrival at Boribo District Hospital. They had been left at home alone while the parents went out to work.

Why so many drownings ?

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cau ... y-country/
According to this site, Cambodia ranks 12th out of 183 countries for drownings, measured per 100,000 population. There is no age breakdown, but from reading the news here on CEO, I assume that most of the drownings concern children and young people.
But the worst thing IMO, is that we keep having the same discussion on the forum about the abnormal number of drownings, and things don't seem to be improving.


However, after a search, I see that I'm wrong on both counts. There are less cases of drowning in Cambodia than there used to be, and most drowning victims are aged 15 years or over.

https://data.wpro.who.int/sites/default ... mbodia.pdf

Still, the number of drownings in Cambodia is double that of the Philippines, and less people drown in Thailand and Vietnam than Cambodia, despite the long coastlines, so why is this ?

John Bingham wrote: ↑Sun May 29, 2022 5:25 pm Many, if not most local people don't know how to swim. Even fishermen...

Most do not know how to swim but I remember they were trying to provide youth swimming lessons at the public pool in K Cham city. Seemed to be popular at the time. Maybe not the cause of drownings but Khmer usually swim when fully clothed which cannot help when you get into a bad situation in the water.