Kimolos, a small island in the Cyclades, has been plunged into mourning after the sudden death of a teenager who, according to initial assessments, was electrocuted while showering at the house where he was staying with his mother.

The tragedy occurred on Sunday afternoon (9 August). The 17-year-old lived permanently with his family in Ireland and had travelled to Kimolos, his mother’s home island, for the summer holidays.

Investigations are focused on the house’s electrical system, and in particular on whether there was a fault or current leak from the water heater. The exact cause of death, however, has not yet been verified.

Konstantinos Ventouris, Mayor of Kimolos, recounted his conversation with the boy’s mother. “I asked her, ‘Wasn’t there anything wrong with the shower head? Had you noticed any tingling these past few days, anything in the bathroom?’ She told me, ‘We’d been using it the whole time we were here and never had a problem.'”

“Whatever happened, happened instantly. It’s an old house, built in the seventies, possibly even earlier. The bathroom where the incident happened is outdoors, outside the main building,” he said.

According to Greek broadcaster ALPHA, the island’s mayor was the same official who had certified there had been an upgrade to the property’s electrical installation. Asked whether he regretted this, he replied: “Well, of course. If I’d known, would I have handed it over?”

Home’s electrical system under examination

According to the same reports, the property is an older building, with its electrical wiring said to date from before the 1970s.

As part of the investigation, officials are examining a report that the electrical panel lacked a residual current device (RCD), the safety mechanism that cuts the power supply when a current leak is detected.

Authorities are also looking into information suggesting that a certificate for the property’s electrical installation was issued in 2024. The relevant documents are expected to be reviewed to determine the condition of the wiring and whether it met required safety standards.

Post-mortem due today

The teenager’s body is being transferred from Kimolos to Piraeus, the port city near Athens, where the post-mortem examination is expected to take place today.

The coroner’s findings are expected to give a clearer picture of the cause of death, while the police investigation into the exact circumstances of the tragedy continues.