Irish boy (12) dies in Spanish hospital after swimming incident

Child with health condition revived at poolside by lifeguards but dies four days later

A 12-year-old boy has died after being rushed to Vall d’Hebron Hospital in Barcelona at about 4pm last Thursday, after he was revived at a swimming pool by lifeguards and local police at the hotel he was staying at with relatives in the Costa Brava resort of Lloret de Mar (above), in Spain. File photograph: Google Street View

An Irish schoolboy has died in hospital in Spain days after being rescued from a hotel swimming pool.

The 12-year-old was rushed to Vall d’Hebron Hospital in Barcelona at about 4pm last Thursday after being revived by the poolside by lifeguards and local police at the hotel he was staying at with relatives in the Costa Brava resort of Lloret de Mar.

Hospital sources said he had lost his fight for life after several days in intensive care.

A well-placed source said the boy was swimming with a 14-year-old relative when she spotted him in difficulties and raised the alarm.

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“Other holidaymakers got him out of the water before the lifeguards rushed over and started to try to resuscitate him with the help of a doctor who was staying at the hotel,” the source said.

“The local police arrived very quickly with a defibrillator and managed to get his heart going again.

“He was taken to hospital by air ambulance.”

It is understood police who performed CPR on the youngster at the scene were informed that he was taking medication for an existing health condition.