Child pulled from Baywave wave pool rushed to hospital in critical condition

A child was pulled unconscious from Baywave's wave pool on Monday.

A child was revived by lifeguards and rushed to hospital in critical condition after being pulled from New Zealand’s biggest wave pool.

The incident happened on Monday afternoon at Baywave in Mount Maunganui, a popular spot for school holiday entertainment.

Bay Venues general manager of community facilities Paul Dunphy said lifeguards responded to a serious incident involving a child in the wave pool.

Members of the public nearby in the pool passed the child to lifeguards, who brought them out of the pool and started first aid and CPR.

“The child was resuscitated by our lifeguard team, emergency services were called, and the child was taken to hospital.”

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said the ambulance was called at 2.10pm and took a patient in critical condition to Tauranga Hospital.

Dunphy said the child had since returned home.

He said Bay Venues staff had stayed in contact with the family and met with them to talk about the incident.

He said the organisation – Tauranga City Council’s venues arm – was taking the situation “very seriously”.

It was undertaking a full review of what happened, working with all staff involved and supporting them through the process.

“Due to the work of our lifeguards and members of the public who responded, the child has recovered from this incident.”

He said Baywave was fully staffed with lifeguards at the time of the incident, with six on duty, including three stationed at the wave pool.

Baywave is home to New Zealand's biggest wave pool. Photo / NZME

“We operate at a ratio of one lifeguard for every 50 people in the water, which meets the current industry guideline when it comes to lifeguard staffing levels.”

He said Baywave had been busy during the school holidays, but as with other busy periods, staffing had been increased to operate within guidelines.

“Our lifeguards are trained to respond to incidents and close calls such as this, which unfortunately do occur from time to time at our aquatic facilities across the city.”

Dunphy said water safety was an important issue in New Zealand, and his team took their role seriously.

“Our Keep Me Safe child supervision policy and public awareness campaign is designed to highlight the role parents and caregivers play alongside lifeguards to keep children safe in and around the water at all times.”

There must be one supervisor aged over 16 for every two children under the age of 5, and stay in the pool within arm’s reach.

Both the child and the caregiver must wear a red wristband, unless the child is under 12 months of age.

Baywave is Tauranga’s biggest pool complex, with features including a 25-metre lap pool, hydroslide, children’s pools, spas and an aqua play station for young children.

There is also a 0-1.8m deep leisure pool with a wave machine billed as “the biggest wave pool in New Zealand”.