Despite life jacket

Girl was rescued lifeless from the pool by her father

(Bild: VACH)

A drama took place on Tuesday evening in the garden of a family in St. Aegidi in the Innviertel (Upper Austria). A 20-month-old girl suddenly floated lifelessly in the pool, despite wearing a child's life jacket. Her father fished her out of the water and began resuscitation attempts. The child is in hospital.

The little girl had splashed around with her five-year-old brother in an inflatable whirlpool set up in the garden of the family home at around 7.10 p.m. on Tuesday. The 20-month-old child was wearing a child's life jacket. 

The father was sitting only about ten meters away at the time and became aware when he suddenly stopped hearing the noise of his children playing. He looked and saw his daughter floating motionless on the surface of the water in a prone position. 

Resuscitation attempts
He reacted immediately, jumped into the pool, pulled the little girl out and began resuscitation efforts. The emergency services were also alerted. They also succeeded in resuscitating the toddler. The girl was flown to Linz University Hospital in the Christophorus 10 rescue helicopter. She is now in the children's intensive care unit.

Father in shock
The completely shocked father and the five-year-old brother had to be looked after by the Crisis Intervention Team (KIT) of the Austrian Red Cross.