Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Alahna Kindred & David Kent

14-year-old boy dies while swimming on Turkey holiday for family wedding

A teenager has drowned in a swimming pool while on holiday in Turkey celebrating a family wedding.

The 14-year-old was said to have gotten into difficulty while swimming with his aunt at the all-inclusive Liberty Lara beach hotel on Sunday afternoon.

It’s believed the boy and his family were at the 311-room resort for a wedding.

READ MORE: Funeral for murdered Mountjoy inmate hears calls for 'no retaliation' from victim's heartbroken dad

The five-star rated Liberty Lara has five swimming pools, including one with a water slide. It also boasts of a luxury spa, an all-inclusive restaurant and four bars.

The trip had been booked through the holiday firm TUI, The Mirror report.

One witness claimed the boy was pulled unconscious from the pool by a barman and given CPR at the scene, before being rushed to the hospital.

They claimed that there were no lifeguards on duty at the time, something the hotel has strongly denied.

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

"They tried very hard to revive the boy at the side of the pool but it was too late. It’s so sad, particularly when you consider they were there for such a happy reason."

A spokesperson for Tui told The Mirror: "We are aware of the tragic incident at the Liberty Lara in Turkey and our thoughts are with the family. Our team in resort is currently supporting the family and we will continue to assist in whatever way we can."

A TUI Boeing 737-800 lands at Gran Canaria Las Palmas airport (LightRocket via Getty Images)

"The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our primary concern and our dedicated resort team is supporting the authorities and hotel with their investigations."

A hotel spokesman told The Sun: “It is with a heavy heart that one of our young guests sadly passed away yesterday while swimming with his aunt in our main pool.

“At this moment in time, our prayers and thoughts go out to the family and loved ones who are currently residing in our hotel.

Get breaking news to your inbox bysigning up to our newsletter

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.