What a tragic story

A YOUNG Brit girl has drowned in a hotel swimming pool while holidaying with her family in Gran Canaria.

Little Megan Thrower had been playing at the four-star complex in the resort of Playa del Ingles when she got into difficulty yesterday.

Her horrified parents raised the alarm when they spotted her at the bottom of the pool.

It is feared a lifeguard was not on duty at the time.

A waiter dived in and pulled the six-year-old out of the water and tried to revive her.

Paramedics and police took over but they were unable to save her and she died by the poolside.

The girl, her devastated parents Debra and Stephen and older brother Bradley, 12, from King's Lynn, Norfolk, were just two days into their week-long holiday when the tragedy happened at the Gran Canaria Princess Hotel.

Police are today probing the circumstances leading to Megan's death.

Her mum and dad are due to attend a local court this morning where a judge has launched an investigation.

A post mortem is also expected to take place today.

A police spokesman said: "There appears to be nothing suspicious in the youngster's death, but the autopsy will determine the cause.

"Her parents raised the alarm when they saw her at the bottom of the pool and a waiter tried to revive her but didn't have the medical expertise needed."

He added: "It was too late to save her by the time paramedics arrived.

"Hotels with swimming pools are obliged by law to have one or two lifeguards on duty at all times.

"The fact a waiter got involved does suggest a lifeguard may not have been around but I don't know for sure what the situation is.

"Colleagues have submitted a report to an investigating judge which I haven't seen. It's up to that investigating judge to determine whether the hotel complied with the law or not."

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Madrid said: "We are aware of the death of a British child in Gran Canaria on October 17.

"We are offering consular assistance to her family."



I know Playa del Ingles very well and I know which Hotel this happened at. Absolutely tragic story but it's an incident that is always waiting to happen IMO.

The Princess Hotel is not the usual cockroach infested budget B&B that these things usually happen at. It's a well run and clean Hotel so this story has really shcoked me. A picture of the children's pool where the tragedy must have occured is below. Without trying to blame anybody I can't understand how this happened. Usually the pool is packed and I'm amazed she wasn't spotted sooner.

Not much to say other than my deepest condolences to the family

The question that was running through my mind then was how come nobody saw her, followed quickly by where were the life guards! Someone is bound to get roasted over this.

Can't imagine what the family is going through right now, my thoughts are with them.

Never has your sig seemed less appropriate though El!

lol hadn't noticed the siggy!

I suppose it's a lesson to be learned. Doesn't matter how good the hotel is. Ultimately the only person who is going to ensure your child is kept safe at all times is the parent.

I'm not suggesting the parents were in any way at fault here, it's just one of those tragic things that happens.

You'd never forgive yourself if it was you though would you, constantly knowing that you should have seen her sooner. The fact that they spotted her first suggests they were keeping an eye out but it doesn't take any time at all for something like this to happen.

What a terrible thing to happen! Poor child and her parents. My heart goes out to them, they must be so devastated. A child can drown in a puddle or fish pond, it's imperative to teach children how to swim at an early age. There should have been a lifeguard, I'm sure there will be some heads rolling over this tragedy.