Two foreign tourists die of suspected electrocution at Bengaluru hotel pool; two rescuers injured

Bengaluru: Two foreign nationals died of suspected electrocution in the swimming pool of a five-star hotel in Bengaluru, while two people who tried to rescue them were injured, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place around 6.30 pm on Friday at the third-floor swimming pool of a hotel in Halasuru. The deceased have been identified as 57-year-old German national Alexander Maximilian Theiss and 45-year-old Slovak national Juraj Horvath.

Police said the two men are believed to have suffered fatal electric shocks after the pool water became electrically charged, possibly due to a fault in the hotel’s electrical system. Investigators are trying to establish how the water became energised.

American tourist Mathew DeSantis, 41, and hotel lifeguard Rahul Tiwari, 28, were injured while attempting to pull the victims out of the water. Both were taken to Manipal Hospital, where their condition is said to be stable.

Following a complaint filed by Horvath’s wife, police have registered a negligence case against the hotel management. Preliminary inspections by Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited officials have pointed to a possible issue with the earthing system or an electrical fault in installations connected to the pool.

Authorities are examining the pool’s electrical infrastructure, maintenance records and safety measures to determine the exact cause of the incident and fix responsibility. Further investigation is underway.

(Inputs from IANS)