A 51-year-old mother from London, Thomasina Tobin, is believed to have died while attempting to rescue her husband, 48-year-old Patrick Tobin, who became trapped in a hot tub at a luxury villa in Colina del Sol, Valencia, Spain. Spanish police reported that the couple's bodies were discovered by their two teenage sons on Tuesday at approximately 5 PM. The boys, aged 14 and 16, searched the villa for their parents before finding them near the hot tub and alerted a neighbor.
Investigators suspect that the couple fell victim to suction entrapment, a phenomenon where a powerful vacuum from a hot tub drain traps a person underwater. Post-mortem examinations ruled out foul play, and no signs of forced entry or suspicious activity were detected on nearby CCTV footage. Marks and scratches were found on both bodies, with suction marks more pronounced on Mr. Tobin, suggesting he was submerged first and that Ms. Tobin may have died while trying to save him.
Both bodies were located partially outside the hot tub, which supports the theory that Ms. Tobin attempted to free her husband. Authorities initially considered the possibility of electrocution but have since ruled it out. The results of the post-mortem examination will not be officially released, in accordance with Spanish practices.
Ms. Tobin had been employed as a quantity surveyor at the London consultancy firm Turner and Townsend for over five years and had extensive experience in the high-end hotel industry. Her father, Tommy McArdle, was a former director for RTÉ and a goalkeeper for the Monaghan senior county football team. Mr. Tobin was reportedly involved in the tech industry in London.
Relatives of Ms. Tobin arrived in Spain on Wednesday to support the couple's children, who are reportedly traumatized by the incident. The family contacted the property owner, who called the police. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance, while New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assisting Mr. Tobin's relatives.