Dinh Mai Hoang Phuc, 20, a student of the Can Tho Medical University, drowned on Aug 2 afternoon while swimming at the Temple Da Nang restaurant’s pool in Da Nang city.

The restaurant, located on Hoang Sa st in Son Tra district, is a complex which offers cuisine delights, swimming pool, sea bathing and aquatic sports services.

According to Nguyen Hoai Tu Uyen, Phuc’s classmate, Phuc, Uyen and one more friend bought three tickets for VND250,000 (US$12) each, which include foot massage and the use of reclining chairs and the swimming pool.

Phuc sank while he was swimming alone at the 5m-deep pool section. Uyen rushed to seek help, but the restaurant’s rescue workers were nowhere to be seen. After a while, a tourist jumped in and scooped him up, but Phuc had died by then.

The pool ranges from 1.2 to 5m in depth but the words specifying the depths are almost indiscernible to swimmers once they are in the pool. There’s also a notice which writes that the restaurant won’t be responsible for pool users’ safety.

Dinh Van Thong, the victim’s father, from southern Bac Lieu province, said that the restaurant did aid the family with his son’s funeral, but expressed his frustration at their negligence in causing Phuc’s death.

Tuoi Tre has repeatedly contacted Le Tri Vu, the person in charge, but he remains unreachable.