Bengaluru hotel pool tragedy: Lufthansa crew member and IBM executive die in suspected electrocution

Two foreign nationals, including a German national working as a Lufthansa crew member, died on Friday evening, October 30, after a suspected electrocution at a luxury hotel pool in Bengaluru. Two other people who tried to save the victims were also injured in the incident.

Two foreign nationals died in a suspected electrocution at a luxury hotel in Bengaluru

The incident took place at the swimming pool on the third floor of Hotel Conrad, a five-star hotel in the city’s Halasuru area. The deceased were identified as Alexander Maximilian Theiss, 57, a German national, and Juraj Horvat, 45, a Slovak citizen.

While Theiss was employed as a crew member at Lufthansa, Horvat worked as a project manager at technology company IBM, according to police reports. Both were staying at the hotel when the incident occurred.

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The two injured individuals were identified as Mathew Desantis, 41, a US citizen staying at the hotel, and Rahul Tiwari, 28, a pool attendant and lifeguard employed by the hotel. Both were injured while trying to save the two men.

They were taken to Manipal Hospital for treatment and are said to be out of danger. The police have registered a case at the Halasur police station and have started an investigation into the incident.

What happened at a hotel pool in Bengaluru?

The exact circumstances that led to the death have not been determined. But investigators are looking into the possibility of an electrical fault at the swimming pool.

One suspected possibility is an electrical leak related to the pool’s underwater lighting. Preliminary reports suggest the incident may have occurred after underwater lights were turned on, potentially allowing current to pass into the water.

But the police have not officially confirmed this theory. The source of the suspected electrical leak and the sequence of events leading to the deaths remain under investigation.

Eastern Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikram Amathe told Hindustan Times on Saturday that the preliminary investigation pointed to electrocution. He also confirmed that police officers from the Electrical Inspectorate were assigned to investigate the matter.

“Case registered at Halasur police station,” he added.

The investigation is expected to examine the pool’s wiring, underwater lighting, maintenance records and safety measures. Officials will also look at the technical installations around the pool to see if an electrical fault could have caused the accident.

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Police have not yet determined how the two men came into contact with the suspected electric current and what happened during the rescue attempts.

What did the hotel say about the incident?

The hotel management expressed its condolences over the deaths and said it was providing assistance to authorities investigating the incident.

In an official statement, the hotel said: “We offer our full support to their investigation. Our team remains available to provide all appropriate assistance to the relevant authorities while their investigation continues.”

Management has not publicly said what caused the incident. An investigation is expected to determine whether an electrical fault or other safety failure was responsible for the death.

The two injured individuals remain under medical care at Manipal Hospital, though their condition is reported to be stable. The police are also continuing the investigation.