Suspected Electrocution at Bengaluru Hotel Pool: Rescue Effort Injures Others

Deaths at Bengaluru Hotel Pool

Police said the incident took place Friday evening at the Conrad Bengaluru, in the city’s Halasuru neighborhood. The victims were identified as Alexander Maximilian Theiss, 57, a German Lufthansa crew member, and Juraj Horvat, 45, a Slovak project manager at IBM.

Both men were staying at the hotel. Manipal Hospital said Theiss was dead when he arrived, while Horvat died after doctors attempted to revive him.

Two People Hurt Helping

The injured were American guest Mathew Desantis, 41, and pool attendant and lifeguard Rahul Tiwari, 28. Both were hurt while trying to help, according to The New Indian Express.

The hospital said Desantis was stable after reporting a headache and shock, and Tiwari was also stable. Tiwari reported pain, and doctors planned to examine him for possible fractures.

Cause Still Under Investigation

Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said investigators suspected an electrical leak, but were awaiting medical, technical and expert reports. A joint technical inquiry is examining the pump, underwater lighting and earthing lines; preliminary inspections have focused on the lighting system as a possible source.

Theiss’ wife filed a police complaint alleging the men were shocked while trying to leave the pool and drowned. The hotel said the cause had not been established and that it was assisting authorities; investigators have not confirmed what caused the incident.

Hotel Closes Pool Area

Reports have not established whether that closure was related to the incident. Lufthansa confirmed that a crew member died during a layover in Bengaluru and said it could not provide further details out of respect for those affected.