Reports from Ea Hleo District Police Department said that the tragic incident occurred at around 2 pm on January 22 when a group of six teenage girls went to a local lake and four of them went for a swim. They suddenly fell into a deep water area. Seeing their friends' situation, two others rushed to call for help but by the time some people arrived, the four had died.
Chairman of the Ea Hiao Commune People's Committee, Nguyen Xuan Trong, said that the lake, which is about one hectare, is used for farming activities and there was a warning sign.
Drowning is among 10 highest causes of deaths among children under 16 in Vietnam. Statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said that some 2,000 children die from drowning in Vietnam every year.
