A three-year-old British girl has died after being found in the swimming pool of a holiday villa in the Llenaire area, near Pollença, in the north of Mallorca.
What happened
Her parents found her in the water at about 8.15pm on Wednesday and pulled her out immediately. They began CPR, and officers from the local police, who arrived shortly afterwards, took over the resuscitation. An ambulance crew continued the efforts and managed to restore a pulse.
The girl was taken to Son Espases hospital in Palma with a weak pulse and was kept under observation overnight. She died on Thursday.
The Guardia Civil has opened an investigation into the circumstances, as is routine in such cases.
A second tragedy
The death came only days after a three-year-old Danish boy died after being pulled from the pool of a rural property in Santa Margalida. He was also taken to Son Espases but could not be saved.
Children and pools
Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in young children, and it often happens quickly and silently. Many holiday villas in Mallorca have pools without fences or alarms.
Emergency services remind families that:
- young children should always be within arm’s reach of an adult near water;
- an adult should be designated to watch the pool at all times, without distractions such as phones;
- pool gates and fences, where they exist, should always be kept closed;
- inflatable toys are not safety devices;
- adults should learn basic CPR, which can make the difference while help is on its way.
In an emergency, call 112.
