AN eight-year old girl drowned at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo while playing in a swimming pool with friends.

Alexis Ncube was with her friends Tanaka Ncube and Mikeila Kambarami aged 12 and eight when the tragedy occurred last Friday.

The death of the minor is one of the two deaths at the sports precinct over the weekend. An intoxicated teenager died at the same venue on Saturday when she attempted free entry into a Winky D musical concert.

Alexis was buried yesterday at Athlone Cemetery.

Sources said the trio went to the deep end of the pool where they were seen struggling to stay afloat.

“Two of the children were pulled out by a worker at the club while the third disappeared under the murky water. No one dared to go in after her and someone had to call for help from a person who was passing by,” said a witness.

Bulawayo Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday confirmed the incident.

“We are investigating the case of a juvenile’s sudden death which happened at Queens Sports Club on December 27 at around 3PM,” said Chief Insp Simango.

Natasha Ncube (28) is the one who saw the that three were at the deep end of the pool and the deceased was failing to stay afloat.

“Ncube could not swim but she attempted to rescue the children by instructing them to hold hands. Ncube managed to pull out the two and the now deceased’s hand slipped off,” said Chief Insp Simango.

She said Ncube sought assistance from three workers at the club who rushed to the scene but to no avail.

“Ncube approached another unidentified male patron who dived into the swimming pool and managed to retrieve the juvenile. They rendered first aid and she was ferried to Galen House Casualty where she was pronounced dead upon arrival,” she said.

Alexis’ family declined to comment on the tragedy. 

The Chronicle