NEW DETAILS: Dayton YMCA issues statement on drowning at Xenia facility

Fitness equipment and other items at the Xenia YMCA were moved Friday to the organization's new home at the 75,200 square-foot REACH Center, 336 S. Progress Drive. The facility on Church Street was closed Friday night, but it will be open for new membership sales through the weekend and holiday. The YMCA for Greene County is scheduled to reopen at its new location at 5 a.m. Jan. 2, 2019.

Fitness equipment and other items at the Xenia YMCA were moved Friday to the organization's new home at the 75,200 square-foot REACH Center, 336 S. Progress Drive. The facility on Church Street was closed Friday night, but it will be open for new membership sales through the weekend and holiday. The YMCA for Greene County is scheduled to reopen at its new location at 5 a.m. Jan. 2, 2019.

The YMCA of Greater Dayton has released a statement regarding the death of a man who died after drowning at the organization’s Xenia facility over the weekend.

Vijay Kumar Goenka, 67, died Tuesday at Kettering Medical Center, three days after he was found unconscious at the bottom of a pool at the Xenia YMCA.

Dale Brunner, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Dayton, issued a statement after this news organization requested information.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Vijay Kumar Goenka, and we wish to express our condolences to Mr. Goenka’s family and friends,” Brunner’s statement reads.

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Brunner said the Dayton YMCA has launched an internal investigation to determine how the incident occurred.

“The safety and security of all members, families, visitors, and volunteers is the highest priority for all employees at the Xenia YMCA and at all YMCA’s of Greater Dayton. The YMCA places great attention and energy on providing communities with a safe environment, and we will do our utmost to protect everyone at our facilities.”

Goenka's son, Ajay Goenka, spoke to News Center 7's Monica Castro about the incident and wants to know how it happened.

Ajay said he was told by YMCA officials that five minutes had elapsed from the time his father appeared to be struggling above water and when he was found at the bottom of the pool.

According to Ajay, YMCA officials told him the incident was caught on video, and the video shows his father apparently slipping while standing in the pool. He struggled above water for several seconds before he went under and stopped struggling.

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Four lifeguards were supposed to be on duty, Ajay said he was told by YMCA officials. Two were attending to children at a side pool, one was stepping away from the adult pool while another was to take over, Ajay said.

If what happened to his father can happen with four lifeguards on duty, Ajay said, "What's the point of having lifeguards?"

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