A 52-year-old Belgian tourist died on Friday after falling ill while snorkelling off the coast of Sardinia, local media reported.
The man was at Maragnani beach in Valledoria, northern Sardinia, with his family when he entered the water in the afternoon.
According to L’Unione Sarda and the news website Maragnani, swimmers spotted him face down in the sea and brought him back to shore.
Emergency responders then tried to resuscitate him, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Local reports said he is believed to have died from cardiac arrest.
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La Nuova Sardegna reported that an air ambulance arrived quickly at the scene. Italy’s Carabinieri and coastguard were also deployed, according to L’Unione Sarda.
Belgium’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the victim was Belgian but gave no further details.
The Belgian embassy is in contact with the family and is following the case together with the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s services.

