An 11-year-old boy tragically died after a raft on a water ride at an amusement park in Iowa flipped over.
Michael Jaramillo passed away on Sunday, and another person remains in critical condition. Two others also suffered minor injuries.
According to the Altoona Police Department, the raft carrying six people on the Raging River Ride at Adventureland Park in Altoona overturned.
The police department said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jaramillo family as they navigate the heartbreaking loss of their child.”
Firefighters and Altoona police officers rushed to the scene around 7:30 pm Saturday and freed the passengers.
Four were taken to a local hospital, three of whom were in critical condition, the Des Moines Register reported.
On Sunday, theme park officials confirmed that one had passed away.
Officials posted on Facebook: “Adventureland is saddened to learn of the passing of one guest involved in the Raging River accident on the evening of 7/3/21.
“This investigation is ongoing and the ride remains closed. Adventureland is working closely with both the state and local authorities, and would like to thank them again for their efforts.
“At this time, we ask for your thoughts and prayers for the guest and their family, as well as for our team members who were onsite.”
Theme park officials said police and fire officials responded right away to the call but the water ride is far from the entrance, making it hard for the rescue teams to get to the scene.
“The farthest units I guess walked 200 to 300 yards, maybe. The closest (walked) maybe about a hundred,” Lance Rouston of the Altoona Fire Department told KCCI.
“That’s the closest we could actually get an apparatus there, and they would have to walk the rest of the way and carry their equipment and so forth back.”
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