A 12 year-old boy has died after being sucked into a jacuzzi filter at a hotel in Italy over Easter weekend.
The tragic incident occurred in the spa of the Duca di Montefeltro Hotel in Pennabilli, near Rimini.
Matteo Brandimarti was on holiday with his family when they decided to unwind at the hotel’s relaxing facilities on Easter Sunday.
At around 10.30am, the boy became trapped in the hot tub with his leg sucked into the nozzle while the hydromassage function was active.
Matteo was trapped underwater for almost five minutes before being rescued by hotel staff who managed to turn off the main power supply and the jacuzzi pump.
Emergency services rushed to the scene where the child was found in serious condition and began performing CPR.
They managed to get his heart beating again, and subsequently called an emergency helicopter to transport him to hospital.
The 12-year-old was placed on life support equipment, but on April 9 he was tragically declared brain dead.
Matteo Brandimarti pictured with his father before the tragic incident
Pictured: The spa of the Duca di Montefeltro Hotel in Pennabilli, near Rimini
Investigators have said that Matteo remained underwater for long enough to cause cardiac arrest and severe brain damage due to hypoxia.
His life support equipment will now be switched off, according to local media.
The family’s lawyer, Umberto Gramenzi, has said consent has been given by the boy’s parents Maurizio and Nicoletta for organ donation.
It is possible that an autopsy will be performed on the boy’s body for further understanding on his cause of death, according to local reports.
The Prosecutor’s Office has now launched an investigation into involuntary manslaughter, currently without suspects.
The facility’s pool and the surrounding area have been closed off for the past four days, and the investigation will continue.
Spresal, the workplace safety and prevention service provided by the Local Health Authority, has submitted a report on the condition of the hot tub system.
They are looking for irregularities in the design of the nozzles and vents, particularly the presence of the grilles protecting the devices.
After the tragedy, Matteo’s father posted a photo of his son on Facebook where dozens of people flooded the comment section to express their condolences.
‘Beautiful sweet soul …may God hold you in his arms and always protect your parents,’ one person wrote, while another added: ‘So much pain is unjust.’
