- Spanish police investigating the mystery deaths of a couple in Valencia believe Patrick Tobin, a New Zealander, was trapped underwater by their spa bath’s powerful suction system and his Irish wife, Thomasina, died trying to save him.
- The couple, Thomasina, 51, and Patrick, 48, who lived in London, lay undiscovered for more than 12 hours before their teenage children found them in their luxury holiday villa in Colina del Sol, a gated complex in Cullera.
- Their children, aged 14 and 16, raised the alarm last Tuesday afternoon after conducting a room-by-room search of the large hilltop property overlooking the Balearic Sea.
- Police now believe the couple were victims of suction entrapment, which occurs when a spa bath or swimming pool drain pulls a bather underwater.
- Levante-EMV reported that police found suction marks on the couple, but they were more pronounced on Patrick’s body, leading to the belief that he was first pulled under and his wife died trying to save him.
- Police previously investigated electrocution but ruled it out as a cause of death; both bodies were found partially outside the hot tub, suggesting Thomasina managed to free Patrick at some stage.
- Investigators believe the marks and cuts on Thomasina suggest a desperate struggle was involved in trying to rescue her husband; police ruled out drowning and instead the couple died from “cardiopulmonary incident due to acute stress.”
- Thomasina Tobin was an Irish chartered quantity surveyor and senior construction executive, originally from Co Monaghan, and at the time of her death was director of cost management and head of hotels at Turner & Townsend.
Spanish police are investigating the tragic deaths of Thomasina Tobin, 51, and her husband Patrick, 48, who were found in their Valencia villa's hot tub. The couple's teenage children discovered them after a search lasting over 12 hours.
Authorities believe Patrick was trapped underwater by the spa's powerful suction system, with Thomasina possibly dying in a desperate attempt to save him. Levante-EMV reported that police found suction marks on both bodies, more pronounced on Patrick, indicating he was pulled under first.
Initially, police considered electrocution as a potential cause of death, but this has been ruled out. Instead, they concluded that the couple suffered a “cardiopulmonary incident due to acute stress”. Both bodies were found partially outside the hot tub, suggesting Thomasina may have managed to free Patrick at some point during the incident.
Thomasina, originally from Co Monaghan, was a respected chartered quantity surveyor and senior construction executive in London, known for her work on prominent hotel developments. At the time of her death, she was the director of cost management and head of hotels at Turner & Townsend, a leading consultancy.
The couple's tragic end has raised concerns about safety measures in spa facilities, as investigators continue to probe the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
“The couple, who lived in London, lay undiscovered for over 12 hours before their teenage children found them. Police ruled out drowning, attributing the deaths to a 'cardiopulmonary incident due to acute stress' after finding suction marks more pronounced on Patrick's body.”
The Times
