A 3-year-old girl has drowned in a pool at the island of Rhodes during a children’s party in Ialysos, prompting the arrest of the venue’s owner, authorities said.
The tragedy has shocked the island and raised immediate questions about pool safety and supervision, particularly as police confirmed no lifeguard was on duty at the time of the incident.
The incident unfolded while the young girl was attending a birthday party with her grandmother. She reportedly fell into the pool and was later found unresponsive in the water.
Police said the pool was operating without a lifeguard on duty when the child drowned.
The owner was taken into custody as part of an ongoing investigation into whether proper safety measures were in place at the commercial venue.
The hospital in Rhodes announced the child’s death despite a rapid emergency response. According to hospital officials, an ambulance arrived within minutes of the first call, and paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, used a defibrillator, and applied a laryngeal mask in an extensive attempt to revive her.
The child was rushed to Rhodes General Hospital, where a team of doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers were on standby. Nevertheless, she was tragically pronounced dead upon arrival.