Woman nearly drowned when she smashed her head on the roof of a water ride and slipped unconscious beneath the water
Christina Orebaugh was riding the 65-foot high Tornado ride in Virginia, US, when the tube flipped over
A WOMAN "almost drowned" when she smashed her head on the roof of a water slide and fell unconscious, her husband said.
Christina Orebaugh, 46, was riding with her husband, Steve, on the 65-foot high Tornado ride at Soak City water park in Virginia, US, when their tube flipped over.
She hit her head and lost consciousness in the accident on the Fourth of July holiday, the reported.
Steve wrote on Facebook that he managed to get his wife’s head above water and screamed for the lifeguards to help.
“We were at kings dominion enjoying ourselves on one of the water tubing rides and it flipped on us she hit her head knocked her out and she almost drowned,” he wrote.
“By the time I got two her she was still under water I finally get her head out of water and yelling for someone to help.
“Now we’re in hospital waiting on cat scan results. She is in terrible pain.”
Christina, a certified medical assistant, suffered several broken bones in the accident, including a fractured collarbone, shoulder and toe.
She also had a concussion and doctors used staples to close a wound in her head.
A spokesperson for park in Kings Dominion, Doswell, said in a statement that the response from park staff was immediate, WTRV reports.
"Five aquatics personnel and four safety and security personnel responded," the statement said.
"The first lifeguard was already in the water so the response was immediate. Within six seconds three lifeguards were in the water with the guest.
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"The safety of our guests and staff is always our number one priority and the ride remains closed at this time while park officials conduct an investigation."
Steve said that while he understands accidents happen, he thought the lifeguards weren’t quick enough to respond during the incident.
“Based on my experience I think it is an unsafe ride,” Orebaugh told WTVR. “Because if it happened to my wife, it could happen to a 12-year-old boy or girl.”
