A NINE-year-old boy has died after collapsing in front of his horrified family on a holiday in Egypt.
Mattia Cossettini and his family were on a boat trip three days into their break when the horror unfolded.
The Italian schoolboy suddenly collapsed and fainted during the excursion on Sunday (5th Jan) afternoon – to the horror of his parents and younger brother.
When Mattia came to, he complained of a severe headache.
His worried parents then took him to see medical staff at the resort where they were staying.
He was there diagnosed with heatstroke – with highs of 27°C (81°F) having been recorded in the area that day.
Mattia was placed on an IV drip and given various medications, before later being sent back to his room.
However, his condition worsened during the night and he had to be taken to a hospital.
Tragically, after slipping into a coma, Mattia’s heart stopped beating in the early hours of yesterday (6 Jan).
His devastated dad, Marco, said that his son had appeared healthy shortly before the incident.
He told the media in his native Italy: “My son has always been in great health. I can only say that he was perfectly fine until he fainted.”
The heartbroken dad, 41, added that Mattia’s cause of death is still unknown – but that it is believed it may have been a brain bleed.
He added: “Mattia had gone into a coma. We’re waiting to understand more.”
Marco also blasted the facility where his son was treated as “a hospital in the loosest sense of the word”.
He added: “Quite a bit of time was lost before they intervened.”
The family had flown to Marsa Alam, Egypt, on Thursday (2 Jan) to spend their Christmas holidays in warmer climes.
The family were due to return to their home in Borgo di Laipacco near Udine, Italy, this Thursday (9 Jan).
The Egyptian authorities have opened an investigation into the case, as reported by NeedToKnow.
Mattia had only recently celebrated his ninth birthday on 23 December.
