A SIX-YEAR-OLD is fighting for his life after he was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool on Southampton-based cruise ship.

The boy was reportedly found in one of the main outdoor pools of the Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas.

When found, the youngster’s heart had stopped and he was not breathing, though cardio pulmonary resuscitation managed to restarted his heart.

A French Navy NH90 helicopter attended the ship, which was travelling off the Breton coast at the time of the incident, after the captain raised the alarm shortly before 2pm yesterday and flew the boy to Morvan Hospital in Brest.

His condition has been described as serious and his parents who were travelling with him on the ship are said to be at his bedside.

In a statment, Royal Caribbean said: "On Tuesday, May 27, onboard Independence of the Seas, a six-year old male guest from the U.K. was rescued from the ship’s swimming pool.  The guest was initially treated by the ship’s medical team, but required additional medical attention. Therefore, the ship altered its course and sailed towards land in order to meet a rescue helicopter.
 
"Royal Caribbean’s Care Team is providing support to the guest’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Independence of the Seas is currently on a seven-night cruise that departed Southampton, England, on Sunday, May 25, and includes port calls to Paris (Le Havre), France, and Bilbao and Gijon, Spain."