Michael Jaramillo, 11, died Sunday after he and three others were injured on the Raging River water ride at Adventureland Park in Altoona. One child remains in critical condition, and two others suffered minor injuries.
When did it happen?
Six riders were on a Raging River raft when it overturned at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, park officials wrote in a Facebook post Saturday night. Emergency responders and witnesses helped to free the riders. Four were taken to the hospital, and park officials said Sunday that they were "saddened" to learn that one had died.
The ride is closed and park officials said they are working with state and local authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.
What are officials saying?
Police department spokeswoman Alyssa Wilson told the Associated Press on Sunday that detectives were working with park staff and state inspectors "to understand this tragic accident."
After being closed because of the pandemic last year, the ride last underwent an inspection on Friday. Attorney Guy Cook, who represents Adventureland in personal injury cases and is assisting with the park’s response, told the AP the ride was found to be in working order and passed its inspection before reopening to the public.
What do we know about the ride?
The Raging River ride first opened in 1983 and was manufactured by a Swiss company, Intamin Amusement Rides. It has been a staple of the park since its opening in June 1983 when then-Gov. Terry Branstad was even on one of the inaugural rides.
Adventureland advertises the ride as a "great way to cool off with the whole family," warning it might leave participants soaked. Riders are sent through rapids on large circular rafts using a conveyor belt.
The ride closed in 2020 due to the pandemic and reopened on July 3, the day of the accident.
Although under different circumstances, this is the second accident connected to the ride. In 2016, Steve Booher died while helping riders get off the ride's raft.
It was Intamin’s Maryland office that handled the Raging River design and build project. Heading the team of 15 people involved in designing the ride was Peter Schnabel, a native of Munich, Germany.
"The idea for the Raging River ride came from the 1976 Olympic Games in Munich," Schnabel told the Des Moines Register in 1983. Intamin, which got its start designing and building ski tows and cable cars, was involved in designing the man-made kayak course for those games.
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