Three arrests have been made following the tragic drowning of a 6-year-old boy in a hotel swimming pool in Kamari, Santorini, on Saturday morning. Those taken into custody include the boy’s father, the hotel’s general manager, and the person designated as responsible for the pool area.

According to official reports, the individuals arrested are:

• The child’s father, aged 33
• The hotel manager, aged 38
• The designated pool supervisor, aged 37

It has been revealed that the pool supervisor was not present at the pool where the incident occurred but was instead overseeing another pool on the hotel premises. Importantly, regulations require that any designated pool supervisor must hold certified lifeguard credentials—a requirement now under scrutiny.

The boy’s father reportedly entered the pool and, upon getting out, realized his son was missing. Tragically, by that time, the child had already sunk to the bottom and was unresponsive. As a result, his arrest was ordered by the prosecutor to investigate whether there had been negligence or inadequate supervision.

Authorities continue their investigation to determine the extent of responsibility and any safety failures on the part of the hotel, especially concerning the supervision and regulation of the swimming area.

The Moment of the Tragedy

As previously reported by protothema.gr, the incident occurred while several people were present at the pool. However, no one noticed that the boy had gone underwater. The child appears to have swallowed a large amount of water and lost consciousness without attracting attention. Both parents, aged 33 and 32, were in the pool area but reportedly failed to notice that their child was in danger.

One of the most chilling aspects of the tragedy is that the boy was only discovered after another swimmer accidentally kicked him underwater. This led to chaos as the child was immediately brought to the surface and CPR was initiated, along with the use of an automated external defibrillator available at the scene.

Despite desperate efforts by staff and bystanders, the boy did not respond. An ambulance from EKAV arrived within seven minutes and transported the child to the Santorini hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

This devastating case has raised serious concerns about safety standards in hotel facilities, particularly those with pools, and whether lifeguard requirements and supervision protocols were properly followed. The legal process is ongoing as investigators seek full clarity on how this avoidable tragedy occurred.