A 13-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition at the Giannina Gaslini pediatric hospital in Genoa after her hair became trapped in the suction drain of a swimming pool at a bathing establishment in Sestri Levante, in the province of Genoa. The incident occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

According to initial reconstructions, the girl was swimming when her hair was sucked into the pool's aspiration fitting, holding her underwater. She was freed and brought back to the surface by rescuers. The owner of the establishment reportedly intervened to cut her hair with scissors to release her, though this detail is based on preliminary accounts.

Once brought to the surface, the girl was in critical condition. 118 emergency personnel arrived promptly with an ambulance and a medical car, initiating resuscitation maneuvers, including the use of a defibrillator, and managing to restore her heartbeat. Due to the severity of her clinical condition, she was urgently transferred by helicopter to the Gaslini hospital in Genoa, where she was admitted in very serious condition.

The pool was placed under seizure to allow technical investigations. The Carabinieri and the Coast Guard are conducting inspections to reconstruct the exact dynamics of the incident and verify the correct functioning of the aspiration system, as well as whether all safety equipment complied with applicable regulations.

According to some sources, similar incidents have occurred in Liguria and other Italian locations in recent months, raising renewed questions about the safety of pool aspiration systems. These precedents are reported by some outlets as contextual information but do not directly concern the ongoing investigation.

The establishment is identified as Bagni Segesta on the lungomare Descalzo in Sestri Levante, according to one source.

ANSA news agency reported the girl's age as 11, while all other sources indicate she is 13 years old.