• Nigerian Afrobeats star D’banj has lost his only son in a drowning incident, according to local media.

    Daniel Oyebanjo III, who turned one in May, reportedly died in a swimming pool at the singer’s Lagos home.

    Although D’banj has not made a comment addressing the death directly, he posted a black background on his Instagram page with the caption: “Trying times but my God is Always and Forever Faithful.”

    Read CNN

    Trying Times 💔🖤. But my God is Always and Forever Faithful 🙏.

    A post shared by D’banj D Kokomaster (@iambangalee) on

    https://youtu.be/Fl4QwyKkbXM

  • The arrival of summer marks the start of swimming season. While warm weather and the activities that follow can be very fun, they also can open the door to dangerous situations if a swimmer isn’t careful. Lakes, pools, and marinas in particular, are a few places where accidents can occur. These accidents include slips, falls, and electric shock drowning. Below are three water safety tips to help both children and even some adults avoid injuries in the water this summer.

    1. Understand What Electric Shock Drowning Is

    Electric shock drowning (ESD) occurs when electrical wiring, which typically exists underneath docks, contacts the water in a lake, pool, or marina. Electric shock drowning cases go unreported because these victims aren’t actually electrocuted. As a person swims closer and closer to an electrical conduit in the water, that person’s muscles become paralyzed. This leads these swimmers to drown. One of the reasons ESD cases are underreported is because they are commonly reported as “drowning” accidents.

    Electric shock drowning can occur in freshwater pools and brackish waters in addition to lakes and marinas. In freshwater pools, the most common source of electric shock is faulty wiring in a pool’s underwater lights. Electric shock drowning accidents are very unlikely to occur in the ocean because dissolved salt is an insulator of electricity rather than a conductor.

    If a friend or family member is involved in an electric shock drowning accident, it is important to stay calm and understand the appropriate steps to follow that may save a swimmer’s life. Follow these steps to aid an electric shock drowning victim:

    • Shut off any electrical switches or circuit breakers
    • Use a carbon fiber rod to grab a swimmer and then pull them to safety and call 911
    • Once a swimmer is safe, confirm that a person isn’t conductive and perform CPR (if no defibrillator is available) until 911 arrives

    2. Avoid Swimming in Any Bodies of Water That Are “Unmarked”

    Swimming in unmarked bodies of water exposes any swimmer to serious electrocution hazards. Any dock on a pond or lake that is on a private property may have electrical wiring underneath it. In states like Missouri, Tennessee, and Iowa, any private land that is opened up to the public for recreational use makes that landowner immune from any electric shock accident-related lawsuit.

    Swimming in unfamiliar waters makes it very difficult to inspect the potential electrical hazards that may exist, which can leave a curious child more susceptible to an electric shock injury. Unmarked ponds and lakes typically do not have a Dock Lifeguard, which sets off an alarm when a potential electricity hazard is discovered or current is detected in the water.

    3. Be Aware of All Potential Hazards That Exist

    Before using a body of water open to the public for recreational use, it is best to ask the landowner if they have inspected their docking wires in the past year. If a landowner fails to disclose a potential electrical hazard, avoid swimming in that residence’s pond or lake.

    Be aware of any potential sharp objects that could puncture skin at public pools or even broken glass in a private residence that could have come from multiple sources. Avoiding any unfamiliar ponds and lakes is a good idea. In many cases, the hazards that come with swimming in unfamiliar ponds and lakes aren’t obvious until after an injury occurs. Walking with caution can help avoid slip and fall accidents. If there is electricity in the water, avoid using a metal ladder as it may exacerbate an electric shock injury.

    Swimming in the late spring, summer, and early fall should be nothing but fun. If you proceed with caution, situational awareness, and electric shock drowning knowledge, a lot of water-related injuries can be prevented. There is an abundance of hazards in the world that children are exposed to. Don’t make recreational swimming one of them.

    Guest post by David Kranker, Electrocution Lawyers, PLLC

     

  • This week will witness the first competitions at the annual age-group continental championships: Europe’s young hopefuls in diving and synchronised swimming will contest for the medals in Finland, while the swimmers take their marks next week. LEN offers free live streaming from all events.

    As a tradition, around Midsummer Night the junior European Championships in the respective disciplines kick off. This year the divers are the first to start, Helsinki welcomes the best youth and junior athletes from today.

    In fact, the events return to Finland after eight years and just as in 2010, the diving and swimming competitions are to be held in Helsinki while the synchronised swimmers can perform their routines in Tampere. All action in the coming days and next week will be livestreamed on the LEN website.

    As for the other disciplines, Malta, also a busy host of age-group continental showcases from time to time, will stage the junior open water Europeans in mid-July. The water polo tournaments will come at the end of the summer season, as usual. This time the U19 boys shall play in Minsk (BLR), while the girls meet in Funchal (POR), the birthplace of Portugal football icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

    2018 Junior European Championships – Schedule

    Swimming – LIVE STREAMING HERE
    Helsinki (FIN) – 4-8 July

    Diving – LIVE STREAMING HERE
    Helsinki (FIN) – 25 June-1 July

    Synchronised swimming – LIVE STREAMING HERE
    Tampere (FIN) – 26 June-1 July

    Open water swimming
    Malta (MLT) – 13-15 July

    Water polo, men
    Minsk (BLR) – 26 August-2 September

    Water polo, women
    Funchal (POR) – 9-16 September

    Results, Schedule, Entry list are linked here

    For additional information please visit www.len.eu

  • Local swimming clubs are making a splash this summer by expanding the traditional definition of team. Madeline Westberg has the story.

    https://youtu.be/rGGk2rl05Fo

  • https://youtu.be/Wr9ROiUuiy8

  • We teamed up with OceanX to go where no one has ever gone before! Check out their channel and subscribe here: http://bit.ly/2MdC2Ot

  • On Saturday, June 9th, 175 swimmers and numerous volunteers gathered at Lake Minnewaska for the inaugural “Terry Laughlin Celebration Swim” — the first open water memorial event for Terry this season, put on by Dave Barra and his organization, New York Open Water (NYOW). After a relatively cool May and early June, we were lucky enough to be graced with warm, sunny weather and a water temperature of about 70 degrees. Designed as a non-competitive event, the swim was a triangle course of 0.75 miles, in which participants were invited to swim whatever distance they desired in the allotted time of 3 hrs, from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. Many swimmers chose to do a quick sprint distance with just one loop of the course, while a surprisingly large number swam continuous loops until the clock ran out. It was a relaxed and convivial atmosphere– one Terry would have certainly reveled in– and the swimmers were extremely well-supported by the volunteers for the event.

    Read Total Immersion

  • Human Access Project’s River Hugger Swim Team is a recreational protest swim bringing awareness of the swimmability and extreme deficit of access to the edge of the Willamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon. The opening day swim of 2018 the River Huggers had a special guest joining – Mayor Ted Wheeler.

  • A record 1,537 naked bodies galloped down a Hobart beach in chilly 7C in the annual mad dash of Dark Mofo’s winter solstice nude swim. It was ‘refreshing’ and ‘invigorating’, participants said, dressed only in red swimming caps