The British fathe, Gabriel Diya, 52, his son, Praise-Emmanuel, 16, and daughter Comfort, 9, have died at the Club La Costa World complex in Spain on Christmas Eve.

Mr Diya, who was a Christian pastor in south-east London, and his daughter are both understood to be British while his son was travelling on a US passport.

His wife Olubunmi Diya, 49, and younger daughter Favour Diya, 14, were also on the holiday but were unharmed.

It is feared that the family could have fallen victim to a suction problem which made it impossible for the nine-year-old girl’s father and brother to rescue her after she got into difficulties.

Today it was revealed that police divers had found her swimming cap as they investigate the Christmas tragedy.

But the exact circumstances of their deaths remained a mystery this morning as resort chiefs said they had been given permission to reopen the pool and insisted a police investigation had found ‘no concerns’ with it.

Reports say a resort worker who dived into the water to recover the three bodies has said he had also experienced difficulties reaching the surface and exiting the pool.

But late last night resort chiefs said the Civil Guard, the police force leading the investigation into the triple tragedy, had given them permission to reopen the pool.

The pool is one of several on the sprawling holiday complex but was being little used because it was not heated like some others.

Resort operator CLC World Resorts and Hotels put out a statement which said: ‘All at Club La Costa World resort are devastated by the tragedy that unfolded on Christmas Eve where a father and his two children were found unresponsive in a swimming pool and despite the best efforts of our first response team and the emergency services, could not be revived.

‘The Guardia Civil have carried out a full investigation which found no concerns relating to the pool in question or procedures in place, which leaves us to believe this was a tragic accident which has left everyone surrounding the incident in shock.

‘Naturally our primary concern remains the care and support of the remaining family members.

‘We would therefore request that their privacy be respected at this traumatic time.’

They also confirmed the Civil Guard had authorised the reopening of the pool, indicating that police feel there is no risk to bathers of a repeat of the Christmas Eve horror.

A police van at the scene after a nine-year-old girl got into difficulties at the swimming pool of the Club La Costa World resort near Fuengirola this afternoon

Civil Guard investigators have yet to make any official comment on the swimming cap find.

According to newspaper Diario Sur, the discovery was made by specialist police divers.

A pool expert quoted by the newspaper described as ‘very remote’ but not impossible a situation in which drains on the pool floor could become dangerous and suck people underwater if skimmers and other cleaners stopped working.

In 2009 British schoolboy Nathan Clark drowned at a Thai water park after apparently being sucked into a pool’s pumping system.

Last summer a 12-year-old Russian girl died after she was reportedly trapped underwater when her arm was sucked into a pool pump at a Turkish resort.

Counsellors are now comforting the widowed mum affected by the latest pool tragedy and her survivor daughter.

Relatives have flown from the UK to be by their side.

Well-placed sources said the teenage son who drowned was travelling on an American passport but described her husband and nine-year-old girl as British passport holders.

An FCO spokesperson said after news of the tragedy emerged: ‘We are offering assistance to a British woman following an incident in Spain.’

-Mailonline

http://www.mediaissuesng.com/entertainment/pastor-and-two-children-drown-in-swimming-pool/

Why wasn't there a life guard nearby? The owner of the Resort should be sued.

RIP to them.

Such sad news on a happy day .

God help us

Sad.

Very tragic indeed.

thesicilian:
Why wasn't there a life guard nearby? The owner of the Resort should be sued.

This is a tragic incident.

My heart felt sympathy goes out to the family of the deseased. May the Gods of Africa usher their souls to the correct places.

Imagine, some of them were taken away from us as heroes, especially the brother that went after his parent and sibling and perished along the way.

I always tell myself these things, no matter how well one can swim, humans are no match for the magnificience of the oceans.

Please My brothers and Sisters, let all of us that reside in places feed by vast waters learn to swim better than we can walk, run, ride our bicycles or automobiles.