Coroner Audrey Jamieson today said that Indian IT student Paul Rayudu’s death could have been prevented.
23-year-old Paul Rayudu, an international student at La Trobe University in Melbourne was swimming with his girlfriend, Virajitha Kelangi at the WaterMarc Aquatic centre in Greensborough in Melbourne in February 2014 when he drowned and died.
It is not clear how Rayudu got into deep waters but the coroner said Mr Rayudu's death was avoidable.
"I am satisfied that there is clear and cogent evidence that Paul Rayudu's death could have been prevented," she said.
"No-one should drown at a public swimming pool."
ABC reported that the inquest heard there were four lifeguards on duty that day to supervise. But there was no one monitoring these lifeguards who were distracted by other tasks.
One of the lifeguard testified that the lifeguard to patron ratio was one to 100.
"It's ridiculous to think that one lifeguard can supervise 100 people," the lifeguard testified.
The coroner criticised the oversight and also recommended that State Government authorities work to establish central oversight of swimming pools in Victoria.
"The lack of central oversight and regulation of swimming pools in Victoria is concerning," she said.
ABC reported that the managers of the WaterMarc pool have apologised to Mr Rayudu's family.
