An 11-year-old girl tragically passed away after her hair got entangled in the suction pipe of a swimming pool during her vacation in Italy.
The girl, a resident of Milan, was vacationing at a beach resort on the Descalzo promenade in Sestri Levante, Lombardy, when the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon. She entered a small indoor pool with shallow water to escape the scorching temperatures outside but her hair got caught in a suction nozzle, pulling her underwater.
Despite efforts by poolside individuals to free her, they were unsuccessful due to her hair being firmly trapped. Paramedics arrived promptly, but despite their CPR attempts, the girl did not respond. She was airlifted to Gaslini Children’s Hospital in Genoa, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit, but unfortunately, she passed away without regaining consciousness.
Authorities have initiated an investigation, taking statements from witnesses who tried to assist the girl. They are also inspecting the pool to determine the cause of the hair entrapment, as reported by Sky TG24.
A preliminary police report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office to determine if any criminal actions were involved. The mother, who remained at the hospital with her daughter, is set to be questioned in the upcoming days regarding the incident.
This incident adds to a string of tragedies involving individuals, particularly children, being ensnared in suction pipes at swimming pools in Italy and other nations.
Italy’s Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, Nello Musumeci, along with Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, has co-authored a bill to enforce stricter safety measures at pools.
Musumeci emphasized the need for vigilance and stricter regulations, especially in preventing children from being unsupervised in the water. The government’s bill, addressing these concerns, is anticipated to be swiftly approved to enhance safety measures.