A little-known danger could turn a luxury hot tub into a death trap as it ‘sucks’ people underwater.
The hazard, known as suction entrapment, occurs when a swimmer blocks the powerful drain or suction outlet that carries water into the pool’s filtration and jets.
The result vacuum and the pressure can be so powerful that victims become trapped and cannot free themselves. In some cases, other adults have struggled to get trapped people to safety.
It comes as investigators investigate whether a powerful extraction system played a role in the death of a holiday couple found in a villa in Cullera, near Valencia.
“There are three types of entrapment you deal with suction vents, especially in a hot tub,” Matt Reynolds, a forensic engineer and water safety expert who investigates accidents in swimming pools and hot tubs, told the Daily Mail.
‘One of these could be hair entanglement, where usually teenage or adult females have long hair, which gets stuck in the drain and causes someone to end up underwater.
‘Another possibility is entrapment of the body. When that happens, you create a seal, usually with the hull section, over the suction outlet. Normally this cannot be broken without turning off the pump.’
The third is finger entrapment, he explained, which occurs when a finger slips into a small hole or damaged drain cover and becomes stuck due to friction.
The tragedy has exposed a little-known danger that experts warn could turn a luxury hot tub into a death trap
One tragic case involved seven-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker, who died after becoming stuck in a spa drain in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the US in 2002.
The force holding her underwater was reportedly so strong that adults who tried to rescue her were unable to pull her free until the drain cover broke.
Her grandfather, James Baker, a former secretary of state, and her family campaigned for the introduction of a safety law, which led to sweeping reforms and new requirements for anti-entrapment devices in swimming pools and spas across the country.
However, similar requirements are not universally adopted and standards can vary significantly from country to country.
Another case involves a 14-year-old boy who suffered serious internal injuries in 2017 when his intestines were sucked out through a swimming pool filter at a Spanish leisure centre.
Then in 2021, a father issued a dire warning to fellow parents about hot tubs after his son was left unconscious when he was “sucked into a filter.”
Alex Williams, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, said his young son Harry had been enjoying the bath when he was suddenly pulled underwater by a filter outlet.
Fortunately, his family witnessed the incident, but it took the strength of three men to release him and pull him to the surface where they performed CPR.
In 2021, it took the strength of three men to pull Harry Williams out of a hot tub where the exhaust had pulled him underwater. He was dragged out unconscious and CPR was performed on him
Given their difference in size and strength, suction entrapment is significantly more common in children than in adults.
Modern pools and spas may include safety features designed to reduce risk, including compliant drain covers, multiple suction openings, and systems designed to limit or release hazardous suction.
Safety activists advise swimmers never to sit on drains or use spas whose covers appear damaged or missing.
Experts are investigating whether a powerful extraction system played a role in the deaths of the holidaymakers found in a villa in Spain.
Thomasina Tobin, 51, and her husband Patrick Tobin, 48, were discovered by their teenage children after failing to return from using the property’s jacuzzi.
Spanish authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of death and toxicology tests are underway.
However, reports from Spain indicate that investigators are looking into the possibility that one of the two became trapped in the hot tub’s circulation system and the other attempted a rescue.
Post-mortem examinations of Ms Tobin, from Co Monaghan, Ireland, and Mr Tobin, originally from New Zealand, ruled out foul play and no signs of forced entry or suspicious activity were detected on nearby CCTV cameras.
Spanish police believe Thomasina Tobin died trying to save her husband after he became trapped underwater in a jacuzzi at a luxury villa in Spain
Stains and scratches were reportedly found on both bodies, as well as blood in the murky hot tub water, and police noticed a strong chemical odor.
Local newspapers said suction marks had been found on the couple.
However, they are said to have been more vocal about Mr Tobin, leading investigators to believe he was pulled underwater first and that his wife died trying to save him.
“According to initial investigations, the excessive suction would have trapped the couple in the bathtub, triggering a situation of extreme fear and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip,” the Valencia newspaper said. Las Provincias said.
‘The autopsy findings almost definitively strengthen the theory of accidental entrapment.
“Preliminary analyzes show that the victims suffered cardiac arrest, caused by acute stress due to physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment.”
Although rare, suction entrapment incidents have resulted in deaths worldwide.
A room in the Colina del Sol complex in Valencia, where the couple was staying
Despite widespread speculation, Mr Reynolds said he is not convinced suction was the cause of the couple’s deaths.
“The fact pattern does not match what you would normally see in an entrapment incident,” he said.
He explained that in cases of body entrapment, a seal is made – usually with the torso – over a suction outlet.
“These drains are usually located at the bottom of the hot tub or spa pool, most of which are 4 to 4 feet deep,” he said. ‘Or they sat on the vertical side of the seating area, around the calves.’
Mr Reynolds said it would be unusual for anyone to have their torso in these locations – especially an adult.
However, he said reports of a strong odor of chemicals could be important.
“It makes you wonder if there is a chemical exposure incident,” he added.
