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British toddler dies after being found in hotel pool during family holiday to the Canary Islands

This comes following a string of water-related deaths for children in Spain over the past week.

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Beautiful view of Amadores beach hotels and Atlantic ocean surrounded by rocky cliffs. Gran Canaria. Spain.
The shocking incident took place at an unnamed apartment block in the Canary Islands. Picture: Alamy

By Georgia Bell

A British toddler has died after drowning in a hotel pool while on a family holiday in the Canary Islands.

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After several days fighting for her life in the hospital, the one-year-old passed away surrounded by loved ones overnight.

The toddler is thought to be the seventh child to drown in Spain in just the past week.

She was found floating in the water at around 10am on June 15 at an apartment block in Lajares, in the north of Fuerteventura.

She went into cardiac arrest and needed to be revived at the scene after being pulled to safety.

The toddler was airlifted to Materno Infantil University Hospital on the island of Gran Canaria in a critical condition.

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Santiago de Compostela, Spain; may 14, 2025: Emergency medical helicopter of Galicia, Spain, stationed at its hospital base
The toddler was airlifted to the hospital but sadly could not be saved. Picture: Alamy

Despite the best efforts of doctors, she died in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

As a result of the incident, she had suffered “irreversible neurological damage”, making her recovery impossible, according to doctors.

Investigations into her death are ongoing and are being overseen by the Civil Guard, which was appointed by a local court.

The president of the maritime safety organisation Canarias 1500 Km de Costa, Sebastián Quintana, paid tribute to the girl and issued a warning to other families.

He said, “With deep sorrow, we send our condolences to his parents and the entire family.

Close up view of mother and child relaxing in hotel swimming pool during vacation. Gran Canaria. Spain.
The incident has prompted a fresh appeal for parents to be vigilant with their children around water on holidays. Picture: Alamy

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind mothers and fathers of the need to constantly watch over little children and get into the water with them.”

This comes following a string of water-related deaths for children in Spain over the past week.

A four-year-old British girl died after drowning in a hotel swimming pool on Saturday.

Another four-year-old girl drowned after falling into a pool at a holiday home near the Costa del Sol.

On the same day, a three-year-old Danish boy died after a similar incident in a swimming pool in Majorca.