A five-year-old boy has drowned in a swimming pool at a resort in Cornwall, police have said, just an hour after arriving for a family holiday.
Robin Caliskal was swimming with his parents and six-month-old brother at the Atlantic Reach holiday park in Newquay when he got into difficulty. Medics were called just after 5pm on Monday but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Robin and his mother and father, Ferzane and Cemal Caliskal, from Plymouth in Devon, had set up their tent ready to camp for the week and then they headed straight for the pool.
Cemal said Robin had been with him in the main pool and had asked to join his mother and his brother, Renas, in the children’s pool. But because of the low lighting and barriers he did not notice his son was drowning until it was too late.
Robin’s mother, Ferzane, said he “loved hugs” and was a “very cute and clever” boy. She added: “We want every parent to see this story.
“This can’t happen again. We are suffering pain and we don’t want any parents to have a similar feeling.”
She said Robin adored his baby brother and “would love to put him on his legs and rock him”. She added that Robin, who was keen on dinosaurs, was intelligent and could write with both hands.
The death is not being treated as suspicious and the circumstances are being investigated by Devon and Cornwall police and Cornwall council health and safety.
A statement from Devon and Cornwall police on Tuesday said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a child at a holiday park in Newquay.
“Police were informed by the ambulance service that a five-year-old boy had drowned in a swimming pool within Atlantic Reachholiday park, yesterday afternoon.”
The force said a file would be prepared for the coroner. An inquest will be opened at a later date. The holiday park said in a statement that its “thoughts are with the family at this time”.
The park added: “We are absolutely heartbroken that a child sadly passed away here at our resort yesterday.
“We do not feel it is appropriate to comment further at this stage, except to say our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. Atlantic Reach is committed to supporting our guests and community, as well as our team that provided immediate assistance.
“As such we respectfully ask that all those affected are given time and space at this distressing time.”
On its Facebook page, Atlantic Reach said its leisure club reopened on Tuesday but “both our indoor and outdoor pools will remain closed until further notice”.
South Western ambulance service said it was called to the holiday park just after 5pm on Monday. “Our thoughts remain with the family at this incredibly sad time,” it said in a statement.
