An 11-year-old boy died on Sunday after he and three others were injured on a water ride at Adventureland Park in Altoona on Saturday.
Michael Jaramillo, 11, died Sunday from injuries suffered in the accident, the Altoona Police Department said Monday. Another child remains in critical condition and two others suffered minor injuries. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jaramillo family as they navigate the heartbreaking loss of their child," the police said in its statement.
Six people were on a Raging River raft when it overturned around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Altoona Police Department said in a statement on Twitter.
On Sunday, the theme park also officials confirmed that four riders were rushed to the hospital and one of the them had died.
"Adventureland is saddened to learn of the passing of one Guest involved in the Raging River accident on the evening of 7/3/21. 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."
Adventureland: Ride Was in 'Sound Working Order'
On the Adventureland website, the Raging River ride is described as "a great way to cool off with the whole family!" but warns that the ride might leave you soaked. In the ride, riders are sent through a series of rapids on large circular rafts with the help of a conveyor belt.
The minimum height requirement for riders is 36 inches. The ride will remain closed while an investigation into the accident is underway by state and local authorities. Adventureland officials said on Saturday that the ride had been inspected on Friday, a day before the tragic accident, and was found to be in "sound working order"
Raging River Claims Second Life in 5 Years
This is not the first time someone has died on the ride.In 2016, Steve Booher, 68, died while working on the ride after only six days on his summer job at Adventureland. Booher was helping riders get out of the ride's rafts when he fell on the conveyor belt, fracturing his skull and suffering a major brain injury.
He died four days later. Last December, the park settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Booher's wife of 47 years and their adult children for an undisclosed sum.
