17-year-old dies of electrocution in bath on Greek island of Kimolos

The incident

A 17-year-old boy died on the afternoon of Sunday, 9 August 2026, apparently from electrocution while preparing to take a bath at a holiday home on the Greek island of Kimolos. The teenager lived permanently with his family in Ireland and had traveled to Kimolos, his mother's place of origin, for summer vacation. He arrived on the island with his mother and sister approximately three days before the incident. According to a relative who spoke to Alpha TV, the death was instantaneous: the boy collapsed as soon as he touched the bathroom's telephone handset. The relative described the house as a summer residence that the family visited for a few days, noting it was an old property that had not been renovated in some years. The house has been sealed by police, and the exact causes of death have not yet been formally determined.

Investigation focuses on electrical installation

Authorities have appointed a forensic expert and are awaiting documents and certificates related to the property's electrical installation. According to cyclades24.gr, the investigation centers on the possibility of a fault or current leakage from the water heater. The house is described as old, built in the 1970s or possibly earlier, with the bathroom situated outside the main building. The mother of the teenager has stated that the electrical panel lacked a residual current device (RCD), the safety mechanism that automatically cuts power when a leakage is detected. Investigators are also examining information that a problem with the water heater was recorded approximately two years ago, an element expected to be reviewed as part of the inquiry. The Hellenic Police (ELAS) has cordoned off the property.

Mayor issued safety certificate

The mayor of Kimolos, Konstantinos Ventouris, who is himself an electrician, reportedly issued the safety certificate for the upgrade of the electrical installation. A certificate for the property's electrical installation was reportedly issued in 2024, and the relevant documents are expected to be examined to determine whether prescribed safety standards were met and what exactly was certified. Ventouris described the house as an old residence built in the 1970s, possibly even older, and noted that the bathroom where the incident occurred is external, located outside the building. He recounted a conversation with the boy's mother in which he asked whether she had experienced any minor shocks during their stay.

“I told her, "my child, didn't you notice anything? Did you get any tingling, anything in the bathroom these days?" She says, "we used it all the days we were here and we had no problem at all."”

He added that whatever happened was instantaneous. When asked whether he regretted issuing the certification, Ventouris responded:

“Of course. If I had known, would I have given it?”

Autopsy and next steps

The body of the 17-year-old was transferred from Kimolos to Piraeus, where an autopsy was expected to take place on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The forensic findings are considered critical for confirming the cause of death. The case file will be forwarded to the competent judicial authorities, and the investigation remains in full progress to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy and whether any criminal liability arises.