Authorities on the Greek island of Paros are investigating after a four-year-old boy drowned in a beach bar swimming pool on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, 2026. Both the parents of the child and the owner of the establishment were released following initial questioning while inquiries into the tragedy continue.
The incident occurred while the family was spending time at the venue, sitting in a dining section about 10 meters away from the water. Two young women first spotted the four-year-old unconscious in the pool, prompting his sister to call out to their father that her little brother was in the water.
The bartender dived directly into the pool to pull the child out. The bartender, the child's father, and a doctor who happened to be at the scene attempted to revive him, with the father performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR. Security cameras at the venue confirmed that the family was near the pool rather than at the sea, and that the child had not wandered far before slipping into the water.
Father Criticises Venue Safety Equipment
Speaking to the Star television network, the child's father said the venue lacked basic protection measures, including a lifeguard, a first aid kit, and an automated external defibrillator. He stated that if someone had been assigned to monitor the pool, his child would not have died, adding that lifeguarding was not the bartender's responsibility.
The father said the bartender explained that he had been chatting and looked away for just a second before the child slipped and fell. Medical personnel continued rescue efforts during the ambulance ride and at the local health center, where a female doctor and another medical worker spent 40 minutes performing chest compressions and administering oxygen.
The father also raised concerns about the person claiming to run the facility, describing him as a 68-year-old man who wore an earpiece to direct staff on seating arriving guests. The father stated that he has already requested criminal prosecution of the owner and plans to pursue further legal action.
Lifeguard Regulations and Pool Permit Audits
Reports surrounding the investigation note that the business owner, identified as 69 years old, had presented himself as the on-site lifeguard but has failed to produce official documentation. Under a 2020 presidential decree, the practice of lifeguarding in Greece is restricted to individuals under 60 years of age, with strict annual medical renewals required for practitioners between the ages of 55 and 60.
Questions have also surfaced regarding the venue's operating permits. According to reporting by MEGA, the business obtained a construction permit for the pool in 2018, but when authorities requested the updated 2023 permit, the owner stated that he could not find it.
Inspection teams from the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) and the local town planning authority are scheduled to conduct a joint audit of the premises to verify whether the pool met regulatory requirements.
