The family of Thomasina and Patrick Tobin, a London-based couple found dead beside a hot tub in a Spanish villa, has spoken out for the first time, stating their loss has left an "immeasurable void."
Spanish police believe Mrs. Tobin, 51, died while attempting to rescue her husband, Patrick Tobin, 48, who became trapped underwater in the hot tub at their holiday villa in Colina del Sol, Valencia. The couple's two teenage sons discovered their bodies on August 25 at approximately 5 p.m. in the villa, part of the Cap Blanc residential estate in Cullera.
Post-mortem examinations have ruled out foul play. Investigators are focusing on suction entrapment, a phenomenon where a powerful vacuum from a hot tub drain can trap a person. Marks and scratches were found on both victims, with those on Mr. Tobin being more pronounced, suggesting he may have been pulled under the water first. Blood was present in the hot tub's cloudy water, and a strong chemical odor was noted by police. Tests are ongoing, but the primary theory is that an excessive suction force from the hot tub's hydro-massage mechanism caused one of the pair to get into difficulties, and the other died during a rescue attempt.
Thomasina Tobin worked as a quantity surveyor in the high-end hotels industry for Turner and Townsend in London for five-and-a-half years. Her career in the UK spanned 30 years, including running her own firm and serving as a partner in another, and she had worked on luxury sites such as The Ritz. Her father, Tommy McArdle, was a director for Irish broadcaster RTE and a former goalkeeper for the Monaghan senior county football team.
Patrick Tobin, originally from Wellington, New Zealand, worked in the tech industry in London. He had extended family and friends in Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK.
The couple's sons, aged 14 and 16 and understood to have special needs, alerted a neighbor who then contacted the property owner. Police were able to identify family members through contacts on a phone. Relatives arrived in Spain to comfort the children, with three family members, including an uncle, flying out to care for them shortly after the discovery of the bodies.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was providing consular assistance, and New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it was aware of Mr. Tobin's death and assisting his relatives. A spokesperson for Colina del Sol expressed condolences and emphasized the resort's long history of safe operation, stating they are awaiting the conclusion of the official investigation.