Nine-year-old child dies at water park in Pennsylvania which has world’s longest mat racing slides

A nine-year-old child has died at an amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred at The Boardwalk inside Hersheypark, the CEO confirmed. John Lawn, the CEO of the amusement park, said a 9-year-old child “was tragically lost at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark." Lawn shared that the lifeguards immediately attended to the child, and every possible rescue effort was employed. "From the moment that our lifeguard team recognised that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel,” Lawn said. He did not reveal the exact circumstances that led to the death. The child was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Centre, where medics tried to save the child was pronounced dead.

Lawn said in a statement on social media, “Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time." There has been no word on what exactly went wrong at the amusement park. “The safety of our guests has always been our highest priority,” Lawn said. “In the coming days, we will conduct a thorough internal review and cooperate fully with authorities.” An investigation into the child's death has started. Lawn said that the park will provide more updates when possible and asked for privacy for the affected family and everyone involved with the park. “As we grieve alongside our community, we ask for privacy for the family and for our team members who are deeply affected by this loss. We will provide updates as appropriate, and we will continue to work to support everyone involved,” Lawn continued.

"We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark," Lawn added, and ensured everyone who visited the park that their "safety and well-being drive every decision we make." According to Hersheypark's website, the Boardwalk features 16 different water attractions. This includes the world’s longest mat racing slides, "Whitecap Racer." Another ride is a wave pool called “The Shore,” which goes to a depth of six feet.