Irish woman may have died rescuing husband in jacuzzi suction accident at Valencia villa
Investigators say a New Zealand man was pulled into a jacuzzi’s suction system at a Cullera holiday home and his Irish wife died while trying to free him.
A New Zealand citizen, Patrick Tobin, and his Irish wife, Thomasina Tobin, were found dead in a rented hill-top villa in the Colina del Sol gated complex near Cullera, Valencia. Their teenage children, who have special needs, discovered the bodies after searching the property for more than 12 hours. Forensic examiners noted suction-related marks, especially on Patrick, suggesting he was first drawn into the jacuzzi’s powerful drainage system and that Thomasina entered the water attempting a rescue.
Both were later found partially outside the tub, indicating she may have released him before both succumbed to a cardiopulmonary incident caused by extreme stress. Early theories of electrical fault or drowning have been dismissed, and the Guardia Civil’s Homicide Group is overseeing the investigation. The case highlights the rare but recognised danger of suction entrapment in spa baths.
