Emmanuel Chidiebere Onyeomereneche, a cadet of the Air Force Tarmac Four identified by his registration number NDA 13257, met a tragic end just months shy of his graduation from the National Defence Academy.
The somber event unfolded on a Tuesday evening at Damgrete Hotel’s swimming pool in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State.
According to an unnamed source divulging details to ABN TV, Onyeomereneche visited the pool for a swim, unaware of ongoing renovations at the facility.
The circumstances surrounding whether he was informed about the renovations before diving in remain uncertain.
His lifeless body was later recovered by members of the state fire service and pronounced deceased at the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia.
Despite being found in swimming trunks, hinting at his intention to swim, Onyeomereneche vanished from the pool around 6:37 pm and was only rescued nearly three hours later, at 9:58 pm, due to the challenging conditions of the dilapidated pool.
The absence of trained divers was said to have further complicated the rescue efforts until the arrival of the state fire service.
Lieutenant Innocent Omale, the Army Public Relations Officer of the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army stationed in Ohafia, confirmed the tragic incident.
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