Patrick Tobin, 48, and Thomasina Tobin, 51, were found dead in the hot tub of their luxury Spanish villa by their teenage sons
Carrington Walker and Andréa Oldereide Senior Reporter
12:22, 07 Sep 2026
Thomasina and Patrick Tobin(Image: RIP.ie)
Fresh questions have emerged over the mysterious deaths of a husband and wife found in a hot tub at their luxury Spanish villa after experts cast doubt on the leading theory.
New Zealander Patrick Tobin, 51, and his Irish wife Thomasina Tobin, 48, were discovered by their teenage sons at a hilltop holiday home near Valencia last month. Investigators suspect the couple died as a result of a fatal jacuzzi malfunction, with both reported to have suffered cuts to their bodies.
The pair, who were living in London, are believed to have lain undiscovered for up to 12 hours after tragedy struck.
Initial findings suggested they may have fallen victim to “suction entrapment”, a rare and potentially deadly phenomenon caused when a fault or blockage creates a vacuum powerful enough to trap a person’s body, hair or clothing against a drain, the Daily Star writes.
Thomasina Tobin nee McArdle, originally from Co Monaghan, who died with her husband Patrick in Spain(Image: Linkedin)
Forensic and post-mortem evidence reportedly suggests one of the couple became trapped by the suction, while the other desperately tried to save them before succumbing to exhaustion.
However, not all experts are convinced by this theory. Francisco Quero, a spa technician based in the Valencia area, told the Daily Mail: “This is a privately owned [hot tub] on private property, which means its motor runs on two or three horsepower maximum [equivalent to a large lawnmower or pressure washer].”
He went on to add: “It is very strange that an adult would get stuck in the suction system. A baby might get stuck but not an adult.
“Even if the grill, which usually protects the suction system was taken away, an adult might get stuck for a moment, they might have a bit of a scare and be left with some bruises, but that’s all. There could have been an electric shock, causing a person to lose consciousness and block the suction, but… it does not make sense to me.
“It is impossible to get stuck in one of these devices and not be able to get out. I am not an investigator, and I have not seen the equipment but I would rule out that hypothesis.”
Patrick Tobin
Carlos Navarro, CEO of Goccia Spa, stated that the spa bath featured in videos of the villa from 2021 was not the one sold to the owners seven years ago, according to the Daily Mail.
Mr Navarro said: “I have visited factories all around the world and seen many different designs and it is practically impossible for something like this to happen at hot tubs installed in the home. The suction is caused from two holes at the bottom and both have security nets. Maybe these nets broke and the owner never replaced them.
“It is very improbable but there may have been a chance that one of the holes became covered by something and blocked, causing all the suction to go through the other hole. But I still don’t think this would be enough pressure for an adult to get stuck.
“There are security measures that cause [hot tubs] to switch off every 15 minutes as well.”
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