Lopar, Croatia: Toddler dies after ‘falling from father’s arms’ off waterslide at Aquagan water park

A toddler has died after falling from her father’s arms while going down a waterslide.

The 21-month-old girl was on holiday with her family when tragedy struck at Aquagan water park in Lopar, a part of Rab Island in Croatia on Tuesday.

Her father was taking her down a slide when she plunged more than three metres and hit the concrete ground, 24Sata reported.

An eyewitness told local media they heard “crying and shouting” and saw a man “carrying the child on the side”.

Others reported the girl’s father broke down in the seconds following the tragic fall and said “don’t ask me anything, my daughter is dying”.

They also said a Slovenian doctor was present and helped to perform CPR before a helicopter arrived and she was airlifted to nearby Rijeka Hospital Clinical Centre.

Sadly, the baby’s injuries were too severe and she died at the hospital.

The hospital released a statement which read “despite prompt care, multiple interventions and intensive treatment, the child died in the morning hours”.

Iva Bilic Cace, the head of paediatrics at the hospital, said the child had suffered multiple injuries, including “serious injuries to the head, brain, chest and abdominal cavity”.

“Despite all intensive care measures, including multiple emergency interventions, she died during the morning hours. We sincerely sympathise with the family at this difficult time,” she said.

Zdenko Jakuc, Lopar’s Mayor, said it was “an understatement to say that we are all extremely shaken”.

“When the helicopter landed, everything stopped. We all looked at the sky and hoped for the best,” he said.

The owner of Aquagan, Josip Ivanic told Jurtarnji List the incident was a “tragedy for us, for the family, for everyone”

“The police are now in the park and investigating everything that happened,” he said.

“Something like this has never happened in this park, which I have managed for more than 30 years.”

Tributes are flowing for the girl and her family.

“God be with her family. That poor dad will never be the same. None of them will be, but the dad will feel the blame, although just a tragic accident,” one Facebook user wrote.

An investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

It comes after another toddler died from an infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba he was exposed to at a water park in Arkansas.

Michael Alexander Pollock III had a fever for days after he visited the Pulaski County water fountain play area on August 26, 2023.

The 16-month-old died on September 4, 2023, after the bacteria he was exposed to caused meningitis.