Harare Polytechnic Student Drowns In Victoria Falls
A male Harare Polytechnic student, Tinotenda Madembo (29) from the Department of Commerce, drowned in a swimming pool in Victoria Falls on Wednesday night.
Madembo was among the students who attended the Youth Forum Startup Olympiad competition in Victoria Falls.
The competition was sponsored by the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA).
Harare Polytechnic principal, Engineer Tafadzwa Mudondo, who was also attending the event, confirmed the death of the student to H-Metro. He said:
It was a devastating and shocking development. It was not expected, but I can confirm that it did happen.
I cannot give you details at the moment because the police are still looking into this matter.
One of the students, who witnessed the drowning, said Madembo died despite frantic efforts to resuscitate him. Said the student:
He went swimming within the facilities where we were staying and drowned.
Efforts were made to resuscitate him, but it was all in vain.
The incident occurred around 8 pm and family members have been notified.
H-Metro reported another source as saying the student drowned in the pool at Rest Camp where the students were camping. Said the source:
It is alleged that students were preparing to host a mini party, for one of the Kenyan participants, who had bought a cake to celebrate with his new friends.
It is not yet clear how the drowning actually happened since none of the students was comfortable talking about it.
One of the students discovered the lifeless body of Madembo at the shallow end of the pool.
First aid was applied to him when an ambulance was on its way.
After some time, when he had been rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.
