NEW JERSEY – Two brothers drowned in a Bayonne school swimming pool, school officials confirmed Wednesday night. One was 16 years old, the other 19. Their names have not been released.
The brothers, one a recent graduate of Bayonne High School and the youngest currently enrolled there, were found unconscious in the indoor pool at Lincoln Community School on Avenue E in Bayonne, Schools Superintendent John Niesz said in a statement. The facility is also known as Public School No. 5.
The school pool is open at night for community use, according to a city official, who said a lifeguard was on duty at the time of the incident. Her 11-year-old sister saw what happened, the official said.
A Bayonne official said the family is Chinese-American and there were some communication problems during the emergency response.
Rescuers administered CPR, but the brothers were pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after they were found.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and our entire community,” Niesz said. He added that crisis and guidance counselors will be available at all Bayonne schools on Thursday. The pool will remain closed until further notice while the investigation continues.
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis also expressed his condolences, saying in a Facebook post that the entire city was “in mourning tonight.”
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