A young girl has died after her hair became stuck in a swimming pool pump while on holiday with her family in Italy.

Alice Ferrari, 11, was swimming in the shallows of an indoor pool at Bagni Segesta beach resort in Sestri Levante when he hair was reportedly sucked into a suction pump on July 14, local outlet La Sicilia reports.

The little girl, from Suisio, northeast of Milan, was quickly pulled under the water as she was unable to free her hair from the mechanism.

One of the pool’s co-managers rushed to her aid after another child noticed Alice struggling in the water and alerted onlookers.

After immediately entering the water with a pair of scissors, they cut Alice’s hair to release her from the pump.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene and performed CPR on Alice for about 45 minutes before she was airlifted to a hospital in Genoa in a critical condition, according to The Sun.

Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Alice sadly died in hospital on Friday.

“The entire hospital stands by the family in this moment of unimaginable pain, expressing deep gratitude for a choice capable of transforming an unfillable void into concrete hope for other families,” the hospital said, as cited by La Sicilia.

Police are investigating whether she was accompanied by an adult at the time of the tragedy, which is a rule requirement for children under 12.

According to early reports, there was no sign displaying key information to guests at the resort.

Two people who co-manage the pool are under investigation in relation to Alice’s death.

In the wake of the tragedy, heartbreaking details have emerged about the girls’ keen interest in horse riding.

She trained at the Isola Equestrian Centre in Bergamo, with the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation remembering her as a “promising young rider with a bright future ahead of her”.

Alice’s death is the fifth pool fatality in Italy in three months, sparking renewed calls for tougher rules and a fresh warning about “death trap” drains.

Italian Minister for Civil Protection Nello Musumeci said more needs to be done to prevent another child suffering a similar fate.

“Strict discipline is needed, but also greater caution is needed in never leaving children alone in the water,” Mr Musumeci said, as cited by The Sun.

“The Meloni government’s bill, aimed at this goal, will be approved by the relevant committee within the month, and we will do everything possible to schedule it urgently.”