Parents discover devastating reality after their 'healthy' 9-year-old son suddenly collapses and passes away during their holiday in Egypt.

The parents of a nine-year-old boy who tragically died after collapsing while on holiday in Egypt have learnt the heartbreaking truth about his cause of death.

Mattia Cossettini was visiting the Egyptian resort town of Marsa Alam with his younger brother and their parents when the tragedy unfolded on January 5. The family, who had travelled to Egypt on January 2 for a one-week break, were on a boat trip when Mattia suddenly collapsed.

After he regained consciousness, the child complained about a severe headache, so his parents took him to the medical staff at the resort where they were staying for the week. After being diagnosed with heatstroke, Mattia was placed on an IV drip.

He was given various medications and was later sent to his room. However, his condition worsened during the night as he began experiencing vomiting, headaches and seizures, so he was taken to A&E. He was pronounced dead in the early hours of January 6.

According to Egyptian newspaper Ahram, the Red Sea Health Directorate announced on Friday that Mattia suffered from a pre-existing brain tumour that was exacerbated by pneumonia, which ultimately led to complete cardiac arrest on Monday. The directorate said that Mattia arrived at the Marsa Alam One-Day Surgery Hospital in a critical condition, which was described as "a state of complete unconsciousness and clinical death."

A CT scan was conducted at the hospital, revealing a brain haemorrhage caused by the tumour, Ahram reported. The newspaper said medical teams worked to drain fluid from the child's airways and performed several attempts at cardiac resuscitation, which were unsuccessful, and Mattia tragically passed away. The directorate wrote in a statement shared on Facebook: "The death was caused by complications from a brain tumour, which the child had already been suffering from before travelling to Egypt."

Italian news agency Ansa reported that local authorities have opened an investigation into the death of the boy to determine its cause and possible delays in diagnosis and treatment. After his son passed away, Mattia's dad Marco told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "Mattia had gone into a coma. We're waiting to understand more."

The heartbroken 41-year-old dad-of-two said of the schoolboy, who had turned nine on December 23: "My son has always been in great health. I can only say that he was perfectly fine until he fainted." Today, Il Messaggero reported that Mattia's family, who don't want to make any statements on the case, were not aware of any pre-existing health conditions such as a brain tumour.

Attorney Maria Virginia Maccari, who is representing the family, has verified that they have made their way back to their hometown of Tricesimo in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located in northern Italy, and are now in the process of waiting for the return of Mattia's remains. In a statement to the Italian press, the lawyer remarked: "The parents arrived back in Italy late last night and are currently awaiting the return of the body, which the Egyptian authorities have yet to arrange. During this sensitive time, in consideration of the family and their privacy, as well as that of the young victim, we will refrain from making any further comments."

Mattia inherited his father's enthusiasm for firefighting and had a strong affection for the environment as well. In a campaign speech directed at his fellow young citizens back in November, while running for a position on the Youth Council, he expressed his desire for a cleaner town and greater respect for nature. He emphasized the importance of having "more trash cans on the streets and sanitary bags for pet waste."