Doctors at the University General Hospital of Patras extubated a 10-year-old boy on Wednesday, September 2, marking a significant improvement after he nearly drowned at Marathia Beach in western Greece.
The boy had spent several days in critical condition after swallowing a large amount of water and losing consciousness in the sea. Following the latest medical examinations, doctors determined that he could be taken off mechanical ventilation.
The child opened his eyes shortly afterward, bringing relief to doctors and nurses in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, including the unit’s director, Andreas Iliadis.
Boy thanks lifeguard who performed CPR
One of the most emotional moments came after the boy was extubated, when he spoke by video call with the lifeguard who had rushed to help him at the beach.
The lifeguard had performed CPR on the child when his condition was particularly critical.
Visibly moved, the boy told her just two words:
“Thank you.”
Iliadis told Greek public broadcaster ERT that he was pleased with the boy’s progress and said the outcome appeared to have been helped by the timely and effective response throughout the emergency.
He highlighted the entire chain of care, from the immediate CPR performed by the lifeguard at the beach to the arrival of Greece’s emergency medical service, EKAB, and the boy’s transfers first to hospitals in Amaliada and Pyrgos and then to the University General Hospital of Patras.
What happened at the beach
The incident occurred Friday afternoon at Marathia Beach in Ilia.
According to the information available, the 10-year-old had entered the sea when, under circumstances that remain unclear, he swallowed a large amount of water and lost consciousness.
Other beachgoers immediately called EKAB, while the lifeguard rushed to provide first aid and began CPR.
The boy was initially taken to Amaliada Hospital. Because of the severity of his condition, doctors determined that he needed to be transferred to the University General Hospital of Patras in Rio.
There, doctors intubated him and admitted him to the pediatric intensive care unit, where he remained hospitalized for several days.
His extubation on Wednesday represents an important step in his recovery. Doctors continue to closely monitor his condition, with the latest developments offering cautious optimism.
