Sands fined in relation to 2010 drowning

Sands casino and events company OMG must pay a combined MOP1.16m (US$144,800).

Macau.- Authorities in Macau have assigned partial blame to Sands and events company OMG for an incident in which a 22-year-old drowned during a pool party in 2010. Both entities have been ordered to pay a combined fine amounting to MOP1.16m (US$144,800).

The Court of Final Instance determined that the lack of adequate supervision measures by the casino operator and the events company contributed to the fatality. The investigation highlighted various shortcomings at the Sands Hotel. There was an absence of dedicated personnel to monitor the pool area and CCTV cameras were not working.

In an earlier ruling, the Court of Second Instance attributed 10 per cent of the fault to Sands and 30 per cent to the event organiser. The pool had been rented out for the event, and the court’s decision took into account the influence of alcohol consumption.

The victim remained in a coma for two years before succumbing to pneumonia, cerebral hypoxia and other health complications. During the court proceedings, the victim’s family claimed to have incurred over MOP1.5m (US$186,000) in hospital fees.