A seven-year-old boy died after becoming trapped in a swimming pool suction duct at a wellness retreat in Castelforte, Italy, during a birthday celebration with his family
A seven-year-old boy died after becoming trapped in a swimming pool’s suction duct. Gabriele Petrucci had travelled to a wellness retreat with his parents and friends on Saturday (18 Apr) to mark his birthday, which had occurred two days prior.
He was playing in the shallow end with his mother, while his father stood merely a few metres away at the poolside, when he suddenly vanished.
His father, Antonello, said: “At one point I turned round to put some things down and then I couldn’t see him any more. I saw Gabriele’s little body curled up in this suction pipe. I tried to pull him out with my hands.”
Gabriele was battling underwater but couldn’t break the surface.
“Three people helped me and even with them I couldn’t get him out,” Antonello said. “They had to switch off the pump so I could free him. His arm was purple – he fought like a lion to get free.”
The family’s solicitor, Francesco Lauri, said: “They tried to revive him for a long time, but there was nothing they could do.”
Initial investigations suggest the outdoor pool’s suction pipe at the Complesso Termale Vescine in Castelforte, Italy, was lacking a protective grate.
Antonello has alleged the retreat attempted to conceal its tracks in the immediate aftermath, as reported by NeedToKnow.
He told local media: “As if by magic, this grille appeared a long way off – so far away that I can only assume someone put it there afterwards.” Prosecutors in Cassino are probing four individuals for manslaughter – including the retreat’s managers, the owner of the maintenance firm and the worker tasked with refitting the grille.
A technical examination of the site is scheduled for Monday (27 Apr), while Gabriele will be laid to rest in Rome on Saturday (25 Apr).
Local reports painted a picture of Gabriele as a “cheerful, happy boy”.
The family’s solicitor stated: “His death is entirely attributable to poor pool management and an outdated, non-compliant safety system.
“I won’t comment on the lifeguards’ competence, which is a secondary issue compared to a tragedy that should have been prevented.”