An inquest into the death of a five year old boy has heard it took Egyptian paramedics half an hour to arrive because they thought the emergency call was a hoax.
Joseph Michael Panter was on holiday at the Sharm-El-Sheikh resort in Egypt when tragedy struck on April 25.
Coroner Michael Moyle opened and adjourned the hearing at Douglas courthouse today.
Jason Roberts reports (text of attached audio file):
The court heard an Egpytian doctor said the Anagh Coar youngster drowned in the pool of the hotel he and his family were staying in.
Mr Moyle said witness statements claimed the pool had no lifeguard or safety equipment, the hotel had no first aider on its staff and when the manager called the ambulance the emergency services thought he was a hoaxer.
It took half an hour for an ambulance to arrive, and it had no defibrillator, and just a few IV drips with a dirty mask and an oxygen bottle.
Mr Moyle said he meant no criticism of the Egyptian authorities or Joseph’s family but he advised parents to be extra vigilant on holiday.
(Picture: A view of Sharm-El-Sheikh).
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