UPDATE: Thursday 21 May, 3.30pm
VIRGIN Active has confirmed the fatality at the Virgin Active Westville Club this morning.
According to Dorria Watt, a communicator at Virgin Active, a 73-year old male member had a suspected heart attack while training in the pool.
Staff on duty responded and applied resuscitation methods which included AED shocks. ER24 paramedics were called to provide advanced life support interventions, a defibrillator was used but unfortunately they confirmed the death at 9.55am.
Ross Faragher-Thomas, MD of Virgin Active South Africa said: “Virgin Active takes the matter very seriously and extends deepest sympathies to the family, who have been notified.”
Elderly man drowns at Westville gym pool, Thursday 21 May, 12pm
A MAN in his 70s drowned at the Virgin Active gym pool in Westville earlier this morning. (Thursday 21 May).
According to ER24 spokesman, Russel Meiring, ER24 paramedics, along with other services, arrived on scene and found the elderly patient lying on the floor next to the pool.
“Bystanders from the gym had already begun resuscitation methods. Paramedics took over CPR and provided the patient with advanced life support interventions. Unfortunately, after roughly 45 minutes, no vital signs returned and the patient was declared dead,” said Meiring.
Local authorities are investigating.
Updates to follow.
