Incredible footage shows babies thrown into a swimming pool and left to recover with NO help
Lifeguards Silvia Garcia and Miguel Jerez, both 34, have bought the controversial survival technique to the UK
HEART-STOPPING footage shows babies being thrown into water and left to recover totally unaided.
The seemingly-risky stunt, which sees the tots desperately try and float while they gasp for air, has been created to help teach survival skills.
The Swim Survival Technique, which originated in America, has been brought to the UK by Silvia Garcia and Miguel Jerez.
The pair, who are both 34 and hail from Spain, are International Swimming Academy instructors and lifeguards. They insist the practise is safe.
They have taught over 100 children in the last year, many as young as six months.
“We feel like super heroes with a unique mission of helping families keep their children safe in and around the water,” said Miguel.
Silvia, his partner, agreed, “Babies, toddlers and children will learn breath control, self-orientation and appropriate swimming postures to allow them to rotate onto their backs, float like a starfish and swim like a dolphin.
“Once mastered they can happily float and rest comfortably. Floating like a starfish is a key stepping stone to water confidence, independent safe swimmers for life.”
Figures released by the National Water Safety Forum revealed 321 people died in accidental drownings in the UK in 2015, including 32 children and youths.
Recent statistics also found that a third of all UK children cannot swim.
While the footage may seem extreme, Miguel says the full unassisted emersion underwater is only done once the child has been taught the correct methods to be an independent swimmer.
“We teach the child to float on their back,” he said.
“Once your child has achieved the floating, we teach them how to self-orientate themselves underwater and come up and float.
“This is a very well built learning process and it is only when the child knows how to roll over and float that we release our hands.
“When your child has learnt how to walk or ride a bike, mum or dad slowly release their hands off of them to let them experience, get feedback and learn. This is the same.”
At the end of the basic program parents can get involved in lessons and take professional advice on how to safely enjoy the water during their holidays.
The Swim Survival Technique has been backed by British mum Olivia Rowe.
The 40-year-old from Upavon, Wiltshire, was left devastated after her son Jack tragically drowned on his third birthday after falling into their swimming pool.
Olivia, who now runs The Jack Rabbit Foundation which helps bring people’s attention to water safety, wants to make more people aware of the Swim Survival Technique (SST).
She first witnessed it in action when she was in the US with her husband Nigel.
“I remember seeing the survival swim footage when Jack was little, thinking I really want to do that with him and I couldn’t. The nearest place I could find was Portugal,” she said.
“I gave up on it stupidly. Then as soon as Jack died I felt strongly that we needed it in the UK, because even though not many people have pools at home almost everyone goes swimming at some point."
The International Swimming Academy is planning to collaborate with The Jack Rabbit Foundation to sponsor part of the basic program for children with special needs and families who can't afford the fee.
Silvia and Miguel, who have been teaching this method since 2014, believe conventional swimming lessons teach children “a false sense of security in the water”.