Prague - A Romanian Roma boy died on Monday in a hospital in Prague-Vinohrady, according to the hospital officials.

The 17-year old son of the Romanian gypsy king almost drowned when swimming in a lake in Stará Boleslav, about 50 km outside Prague 13 days ago. He was immediately hospitalized but his condition was serious and eventually led to a brain seizure.

About 50 of the boy's relatives arrived in Prague from Romania to hold a vigil for the youth. First, they camped in Prague and then moved to a camp outside Prague.

The boy's body will be taken back to Romania for burial. The relatives expressed thanks to the Vinohrady hospital doctors.

Meanwhile, the hospital will have to sort out how to cover the costs of the boy's treatment, which reached up to CZK 1 million. The boy had on health insurance neither in Romania, nor in the Czech Republic.