Burmese tourist dies after central Taiwan water park accident

Taichung, Sept. 28 (CNA) A tourist from Myanmar was pronounced dead at a hospital Sunday after being found unconscious in a shallow-water wave pool at a popular water park in central Taiwan, but no cause of death had been determined as of Monday afternoon.

The Taichung Fire Bureau received a report at around 2:02 p.m. that the 52-year-old, who was visiting Lihpao Land in Houli District, appeared to have no vital signs when he was found unconscious, local media reported Monday.

Firefighters found the man without any apparent external injuries and in a state of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

He was given emergency treatment at the scene before being taken to the Dajia branch of Lee's General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts.

Police said on Monday that they will refer the case to prosecutors for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

According to local media reports, the man had been visiting the water park with his wife after renting a car. He was found lying face down in the wave pool of the park's Mala Bay attraction.

The incident occurred during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday weekend, when the water park was crowded with visitors. Some visitors said they witnessed lifeguards performing emergency resuscitation and saw the man being carried away on a stretcher.

The park operator expressed its condolences on Monday over the man's death but said the cause of the incident remained under investigation. It declined to provide further details, citing the privacy of the visitor and his family.

According to local media, police said the man was initially suspected of having drowned, but the exact cause of death will be determined following the prosecutor's examination.