An electronic malfunction apparently triggered a mammoth rogue wave in a packed “tsunami swimming pool” at a water park in China this week that injured 44 people.
Swimmers on floats waiting to enjoy a series of waves on Wednesday were suddenly picked up by a giant wave and hurled into other swimmers or the cement of the pool at the Yulong Shuiyun Water Park in Longjing near the North Korea border, reported the South China Morning Post.
Most of the injuries were not serious, though some people suffered fractured ribs and at least five were held for treatment in a local hospital.
The pool has been shut down and officials are investigating the accident.
“Leaders of Longjing Municipal Council and city government are highly concerned about this incident,” said a statement issued by city officials, CNN reported. “All the related departments of Longjing City have ordered the company to stop the operation of the tsunami pool.”
According to the “initial stages of the investigation, the incident was caused by a power cut that damaged electronic equipment in the tsunami pool control room, which led to the waves in the pool becoming too big and injuring people,” said city officials, according to the South China Morning Post.
