Girl Dies in Horrifying Pool Drain Accident During Family Vacation

An 11-year-old girl’s family vacation in Italy ended in horror after the child’s hair became trapped in a swimming pool drain at a beach resort, leading to her death days later at a hospital.

The tragic incident happened Tuesday, July 14, at the Bagni Segesta beach resort in Sestri Levante, a seaside town on Italy’s Ligurian coast, according to La Sicilia and The U.S. Sun, which cited local authorities.

The young girl, identified only as Alice from Milan, was reportedly in the pool when onlookers realized she was struggling underwater. When people rushed to help, they had difficulty freeing her because her hair had become caught in the pool’s suction pipe, according to the outlets.

Paramedics performed CPR at the scene before Alice was airlifted to Gaslini Pediatric Hospital in Genoa in critical condition. She later died at the hospital.

In a statement to La Sicilia, the hospital said it was standing with the child’s family during an “unimaginable” time of grief.

“The entire hospital stands by the family in this moment of unimaginable pain, expressing deep gratitude for a choice capable of transforming an unfillable void into concrete hope for other families,” the hospital said.

The child’s death has now sparked calls for tougher swimming pool safety rules in Italy.

Nello Musumeci, Italy’s Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, said the tragedy shows that stronger protections can no longer be delayed.

“The death of Alice, the 11-year-old girl who was sucked into a pool drain in Sestri Levante, highlights the need, which can no longer be postponed, to ensure the safety of public and private swimming pools in Italy,” Musumeci said, according to La Sicilia.

Musumeci also said Alice’s death came after four other minors had died in pools in the region, the outlet reported.

“A strict regulation is needed, but also greater caution in never leaving children alone in the water,” he said. “The government bill by Meloni’s administration, aimed at this goal, will be approved by the competent Commission within the month, and we will do everything possible to schedule it urgently.”

Police are investigating Alice’s death as a possible manslaughter case, according to The U.S. Sun. No arrests have been made.

An autopsy has been ordered by Deputy Prosecutor Fabrizio Givri of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Genoa, Sky TG24 reported.

Bagni Segesta, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Musumeci, and Gaslini Pediatric Hospital did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, July 18.

The heartbreaking case has left local officials pressing for answers and families once again confronting a terrifying danger that can turn an ordinary day at the pool into a nightmare.