Woman drowns in hotel swimming pool

FILE

Paramedics desperately tried to perform CPR on a woman after she drowned in a swimming pool at a Rotorua hotel - but she could not be revived.

Emergency services were called to the Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua, on Eruera St, about 3.30pm today when a woman, estimated to be in her 50s, was swimming in the pool.

St John ambulance team manager Norm Ngatai said the woman appeared to have gone into cardiac arrest while swimming and drowned.

He said paramedics performed CPR on the woman when they arrived by the poolside, but she could not be revived and died shortly afterwards.

He said he did not have any further information about the woman, but paramedics estimated she was in her 50s.

It was a gloomy scene outside the hotel, with hotel staff clearly shaken.

A guest said she saw a distressed child wrapped in a towel being led out of the pool area by a staff member.

Hotel staff members said they could not comment on what had happened.

The Rotorua Daily Post tried to contact the Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua's manager, but he was unavailable for comment.

Another guest said she did not witness the drowning but said the mood throughout the hotel was "pretty glum".

"All I know is that whatever happened, it doesn't sound good. It's very airy in there [the hotel]," she said.

Rotorua police Senior Sergeant Karl Konlechner said he could confirm there was a sudden death at the hotel, but could not speculate on the cause of the person's death.

Police were investigating the cause of the death, he said.

Mr Konlechner said the police's main priority was to notify the victim's next of kin and family members.