Vietnam Resort Drowning Incident, Family Claims "Delayed Response from Lifeguards and Resort's Evading Responsibility"

A tragic incident occurred off the coast of a resort in Nha Trang, a famous vacation destination in Vietnam, where a South Korean tourist drowned. The victim's family has strongly criticized the resort's negligence in safety management and inadequate response afterwards.

Family member A shared the details of the tragic incident that happened during her sister's family trip to Vietnam to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary on JTBC's "Incident Control" on the 3rd.

A's brother-in-law, B, drowned while swimming in the sea in front of the resort with his 4-year-old son around 3:20 PM on the 25th of last month.

At that time, B was holding a mattress-shaped tube and had put a life jacket on his son, while the water was relatively shallow, reaching from an adult's calf to waist level.

Negligence in Safety Management and Delayed Response Escalated the Situation

According to the family, about 20 minutes after entering the water, B, who was 180cm tall and of sturdy build, could no longer be seen. However, the resort's lifeguards allegedly began rescue efforts only 17 minutes after the incident occurred.

Even more shocking was the handling during the rescue process.

The lifeguards did not immediately bring B to land but attempted to perform CPR on a kayak floating in the water. When B finally reached the land 30 minutes after the incident, he was already unconscious.

A qualified nurse who was present testified, "I offered to help, but the resort staff told me not to come," raising questions about the emergency procedures as she noted, "They were gathered under an umbrella, and it was unclear how first aid was being administered."

Witnesses claimed that an ambulance arrived late, and the ambulance that did arrive was described as a "poorly equipped vehicle with just one bed in a van."

Allegations of Evidence Destruction and Manipulation of Cause of Death

The family expressed strong dissatisfaction with the resort's response after the incident.

The resort reportedly showed an uncooperative attitude, insisting that the family obtain permission from the authorities to check the CCTV footage. When they finally managed to view the footage, they were not allowed to make a copy, and their attempt to record it with a mobile phone was also blocked.

Even more shocking, the cause of death on B's death certificate was stated as "acute myocardial infarction" rather than drowning, and there was a signature from the authorities on the family’s signature line.

By the time the family learned about these discrepancies, B's body had already been cremated.

The family sought assistance from the consulate to rectify the cause of death, but the authorities allegedly changed their stance, saying, "We cannot provide any records. It's your fault for not conducting an autopsy," according to the family.

A expressed her frustration, stating, "The local authorities are thoroughly biased towards the resort," and added, "They twist words and invoke local laws while omitting the family statements, and they won't let go of any evidence the resort begrudgingly provided." She also pleaded for help, saying, "My sister, who lost her husband overnight, is on the brink of fainting, and her 4-year-old son is in shock and cannot speak due to the loss of his father. There is not a shred of compassion here."

The 4-year-old boy, who lost his father in the accident, reportedly blames himself, saying, "I couldn't save Dad."

The family emphasized, "It seems the resort is trying to evade responsibility by claiming the death was due to pre-existing conditions rather than an accident, and we demand a responsible investigation and punishment."

Image source: youtube 'jtbc news', material photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank