An 11-year-old girl has died after her hair became trapped in a swimming pool drain at an Italian beach resort, pulling her underwater as adults desperately tried to save her.
The child, identified as Alice from Suisio, a town in northern Italy, was swimming Tuesday afternoon at Bagni Segesta in the coastal city of Sestri Levante when the accident occurred.
According to Italian outlet Sky TG24, the powerful suction from the drain pulled Alice beneath the surface and left her unable to free herself.
Another child noticed that she was struggling underwater and quickly alerted nearby adults.
The owner of the resort reportedly tried to cut Alice’s hair with a knife, but the strands had become tightly tangled inside the drain, making it extremely difficult to release her.
Paramedics arrived within minutes and began CPR, but Alice did not respond. She was rushed to Gaslini Children’s Hospital in Genoa, where she remained in critical condition before later dying from her injuries.
Authorities are still trying to determine exactly how the accident happened and how long Alice was trapped underwater before anyone noticed.
Her death is now being investigated as a possible case of manslaughter, the Italian equivalent of a criminally negligent death investigation.
Alice’s family has chosen to donate her organs, a decision the hospital praised as an extraordinary act of generosity during an unimaginable tragedy.
“The entire hospital stands by the family in this moment of unimaginable pain,” the hospital said, thanking them for making a choice that could bring “concrete hope” to other families.
The deadly accident has also sparked renewed calls for stricter pool safety rules across Italy.
Nello Musumeci, Italy’s minister for civil protection and maritime policies, said Alice’s death showed that stronger protections at public and private swimming pools could no longer be delayed.
“In the last three months, there have been five deaths of minors in pools,” Musumeci said.
He called for tougher regulations while also urging parents and caregivers never to leave children unattended in the water.
Musumeci said a pool safety bill backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is expected to move forward before the end of the month.
Officials and church leaders in Alice’s hometown also released a message of condolence, saying the entire community was mourning with her family and remembering the young girl in prayer.
Bagni Segesta was contacted for comment.