He thought his friend was breaking his freediving record, but in reality he had already passed out at the bottom of the pool.
Tragedy struck yesterday at a public swimming pool in Capodisotto di Montecchio Precalcino, in the province of Vicenza. The victim was Leonardo Cortese, a 19-year-old resident of Trento .
The two boys, both of the same age, were vacationing with one of their parents' families and were competing to see who could hold their breath the longest. They counted the seconds underwater , but one of them never resurfaced. His friend thought he was still holding his breath, but as time passed, he realized the situation was critical and called for help.
Attempts at resuscitation, first by the lifeguards and other people present, and then by the doctors, were unsuccessful.
An investigation has been opened into the case, also to determine whether the young man lost consciousness during his freediving or whether he suffered a sudden illness before falling to the bottom of the pool. The safety measures at the facility are also being examined.
(Unioneonline)
