Boy Drowned in Cruise Ship Pool

Oct. 14, 2013— -- A weekend cruise aboard the Carnival Victory liner turned tragic when a 6-year-old boy drowned in one of the ship's four pools.

Qwentyn Hunter, 6, of Winter Garden, Fla, died Sunday during the final leg of the ship's Caribbean cruise.

Carnival Cruises confirmed that they do not have lifeguards on duty or fencing at their pools, but require children under 13 to be supervised by an adult.

Qwentyn's death is "too much" for Jeff Callender, a family friend who also who also represented the boy and his brother at Ariza Modeling and Talent Agency in Longwood, Fla.

Callender described the boy as a "beautiful, precocious and handsome boy."

"Those ears, he knew how to move his ears," said Callender. "His parents are good, Christian people. They run a Christian daycare. It's a beautiful family."

The boy had been swimming with his 10-year-old brother when his submerged body was spotted, according to a police report.

Passengers pulled him out and attempted to perform CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Family members were also around the pool at the time, the report said.

The Miami-Dade Police Department's Detective Javier Baez confirmed that an investigation is continuing into the death, although the incident is presumed accidental and no foul play is suspected.

"Carnival extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family during this very difficult time," the company said in a statement. "The company's CareTeam is providing assistance and support."

The boy's drowning comes as Carnival Cruises struggles to restore public confidence after a recent spate of highly publicized disasters.

In February an engine room fire caused the Carnival Triumph to breakdown, leaving more than 4,000 passengers and crew stranded for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico.

After power went out during that incident, passengers texted ABC News that sewage was seeping down the walls from burst plumbing pipes, carpets were wet with urine, and food was in short supply.

In April, the Carnival Ecstasy liner also briefly lost power at sea, leaving its approximately 2,000 passengers and 920 crew members in the dark for 12 minutes before power was restored.

That same month, high winds caused the Carnival Triumph to break loose from its moorings at a dock in Alabama, sending two dock workers into the water and passengers aboard on a scary ride downriver.

Then, in May, two passengers on a cruise to the South Pacific went missing from the Carnival Spirit after falling overboard off the coast of Australia.

Carnival Corp. announced in June that its longtime CEO Micky Arison will step down after a series of ship mishaps that have prompted the cruise ship operator to offer steep discounts.

The company carries approximately 4.5 million passengers annually, making it the largest cruise line in the world.