Unresponsive five-year-old boy plucked from Auckland swimming pool and rushed to hospital

A five-year-old boy was unresponsive when he was rescued by a lifeguard at Birkenhead swimming pool yesterday and rushed to Starship Hospital in Auckland.

The little boy’s uncle, Tyrone Whetu, said if it wasn’t for the actions of the lifeguard and another 20 seconds or 30 seconds elapsed, “he may not be here today”.

“I just know he was floating. She(the lifeguard) pulled him out in time. Without CPR he vomited and was rushed to Starship. He’s doing fine and back home,” Whetu said.

The family posted on Facebook publicly thanking the lifeguard, who they thought was named Holly, and said they hoped to meet her in person.

He said pool drownings occur because parents think because a lifeguard is on duty kids are safe.

“Last week at the same pools, the lifeguard had to ask so many parents to get off their phones and watch their child as well... it truly does only take seconds for a child to drown,” said Whetu.

A council spokeswoman said the five-year-old was unresponsive when he was pulled out of the water by a lifeguard and later taken to the hospital.