A five-year-old boy who drowned in a holiday complex swimming pool just minutes after arriving with his family was ‘not able to swim well’, an inquest has heard.
Robin Van Caliskan was discovered by a member of the public face down in the pool at the Atlantic Reach holiday park in Newquay, Cornwall, on July 31, 2023.
An eleven strong inquest jury was told that Robin and his family had arrived at the complex at noon that day from their home in Plymouth, Devon, for a short camping break in a tent.
Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard that Robin’s parents had taken him and his six-month-old brother Renas to the complex’s two pools – a main deeper pool and a baby pool – which are separated by a frosted glass screen.
After 15 minutes in the swimming baths, mother Ferzane and father Cemal Caliskan ‘realised Robin was not with either of them’ and noticed a person being resuscitated on the side of the main pool.
They then understood it was their son due to the swimming trunks he was wearing.
Robin Van Caliskan drowned in a holiday complex swimming pool just minutes after arriving with his family
The child was discovered by a member of the public face down in the pool at the Atlantic Reach holiday park in Newquay, Cornwall (pictured)
Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard that Robin’s mother Ferzane (right) and father Cemal Caliskan (left) had taken him and his six-month-old brother Renas to the complex’s two pools
The hearing was told Robin, who was found in the 1.4m deep main pool, had some swimming lessons but was ‘not able to swim well’.
The senior coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Andrew Cox gave the jury a brief background to the case.
He told Cornwall Coroner’s Court in Truro that mother Ferzane and father Cemal Caliskan – who originally come from Turkey – took their two children to the holiday park for a short vacation.
He said they arrived at noon and registered at reception before setting up their tent.
Mr Cox said: ‘The family decided to go for a swim.’
He said they went through the booking procedure for a slot at 4.30pm and went in for their swim around 4.45pm.
‘There are two pools separated by an opaque screen,’ he said. ‘One being a baby pool and the other the main deeper pool.’
The jury heard Robin and his father Cemal were in the main pool before they joined his mother and baby brother in the baby pool.
A pathologist was given some background to the incident and said: ‘Robin’s mother went to swim in the main pool and Robin went to join her. Robin’s mother returned 10-15 minutes later but realised Robin was not with either of them.’
Robin was found shortly afterwards face down in the main pool by other people using it and they tried to resuscitate him.
The hearing was told Robin (pictured), who was found in the 1.4m deep main pool, had some swimming lessons but was ‘not able to swim well’
Robin had arrived at the complex noon and registered at reception before setting up their tent.
The jury heard Robin (pictured with his mother) and his father Cemal were in the main pool before they joined his mother and baby brother in the baby pool
Robin pictured in a swimming pool with and his six-month-old brother Renas
His parents saw that something was happening at the poolside and realised it was Robin who was wearing his swimming trunks.
The emergency services were called at 5.06pm but he was declared dead at 5.55pm.
An ambulance crew declared Robin had died at the scene. Paramedic Martin Saunders said Robin was last seen alive 15 minutes before the incident.
Dr Samantha Holden, a paediatric pathologist, carried out a post mortem and concluded that Robin died from drowning.
The coroner said the jury will have to determine ‘precisely who was supervising whom, whether lifeguards were on duty, was signage on display’.
Mr Cox said: ‘Tragically Robin was found face down in the main pool by a member of the public. He was recovered to the poolside and resuscitation attempted but was unsuccessful.’
He told the jury that they will have to determine the facts around Robin’s death but warned the inquest is not there to apportion blame or fault on anyone.
Robin(pictured) was found shortly afterwards face down in the main pool by other people using it and they tried to resuscitate him
After 15 minutes in the swimming baths, mother Ferzane and father Cemal Caliskan ‘realised Robin was not with either of them’
He said the main questions to be answered include how long was Robin unsupervised in the time immediately preceding his death, what is or was the policy concerning lifeguard provision at Atlantic Reach and how health and safety standards were applied.
The jury was told that the swimming pool complex had glass windows on three sides and there was some floodlighting.
There were signs showing swimming pool rules in the area and changing rooms. In red letters was the sign ‘no lifeguards on duty’.
Other rules half way down the signs said children under eight years of age should be accompanied by parents/guardians in the pool at all times.
The Inquest continues.
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