Coroner of inquests, Michael Moyle, has issued a warning to parents booking their holidays abroad.

At a hearing in Douglas courthouse this morning (Friday), he said inquiries were still continuing into the death of Joseph Michael Panter.

He drowned in a swimming pool in April last year while on holiday with his family in the Sharm-el-Sheikh area of Egypt.

Mr Moyle revealed shocking lapses in safety at the hotel and said parents should be on their guard if they take young children on holiday.

Jason Roberts reports (audio file attached):

Inquiries have revealed nobody at the Egyptian hotel kept a watch on the swimming area, there was no medical attendant, no medical room, medical equipment in the hotel was totally inadequate and the ambulance was late and lacked basic life saving equipment.

Mr Moyle said families with small children booking Easter or summer holidays should be aware of potential dangers, checking swimming pools for hazards and making sure pools are supervised.

He said if parents aren’t satisfied, they should keep children under constant supervision and not let their guard down.

Mr Moyle said he wasn’t trying to spoil holidays or alarm parents, and that there was no criticism of Mrs Panter, but wanted to avoid similar heartbreaking incidents.