Irish woman and husband found dead in Spain named as jacuzzi failure investigated

The couple were found dead by their teenage children on Tuesday in Cullera, south of Valencia. File picture

The Irish woman and her husband who were found dead beside a jacuzzi at their holiday villa in Spain have been named locally.

Tomasina McArdle, 45, who was from the Castleblayney area of Co Monaghan, and her husband, Patrick Tobin, 50, who was originally from New Zealand, were found dead by their teenage children on Tuesday in Cullera, south of Valencia.

Three relatives from Ireland have flown to Spain to be with the couple’s children, aged 14 and 15.

A technical failure with the jacuzzi is currently believed to have led to the couple’s deaths.

A problem with the jacuzzi may have trapped Ms McArdle in it and, when her husband tried to help her, he may have been electrocuted or inhaled poisonous gas, according to Spanish media outlets Las Provincias and El País.

However, investigators are still waiting for toxicology reports on the deceased, and no cause of death is expected to be confirmed until those results are analysed.

Autopsies were completed on the deceased on Wednesday, with the results expected to provide significant clarity on their cause of death.

The couple and their two children were on holiday in a luxury rental villa in Cap Blanc in the town of Cullera, south of Valencia.

The children found the couple dead near the jacuzzi at around 5pm on Tuesday and alerted a neighbour, who called emergency services.

Investigation continues into deaths

Initially, there was some concern that the couple may have been murdered, as small cuts or puncture wounds were found on the bodies.

However, investigators now believe the deaths were accidental, possibly as a result of a mechanical failure in the jacuzzi, and that the wounds on one of the bodies, in particular, may have been caused while attempting to rescue their spouse from the water.

Three of the family’s relatives have now flown from Ireland to Spain to be with the children.

Cullera, which has around 24,600 inhabitants, reaches around 150,000 residents in the summer.

The family’s rented villa was in an elevated position above the town, with views over the Gulf of Valencia.

A statement from Spanish police issued to the Irish Examiner said that, on first inspection, a violent death had been ruled out, but that the investigation remained ongoing.