An American man has died after being electrocuted while in a hot tub at a resort in Mexico, local officials have confirmed. The 43-year-old man, identified by police as Jorge N, was electrocuted while in the hot tub with a woman, identified as Lizeth N.
The woman sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to the US for medical treatment.
The incident occurred at a private condominium complex in Puerto Peñasco, located in the Mexican state of Sonora. According to a social media post from the general prosecutor’s office of Sonora, the man’s death and the woman’s injuries were “due to a possible electric discharge” while they were in the hot tub.
State officials are investigating the cause of the electric shock. A video of the incident shows bystanders in panic, gathered around the hot tub near a beach, with someone performing chest compressions on a person lying on the ground.
The general prosecutor’s office of justice for Sonora, known as La Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de Sonora (FGJES), is actively investigating the case.
Friends of Jorge N have set up a GoFundMe page, writing: “Our best friends have experienced a horrible accident. Jorge had a heart of gold and was always there for family and friends.
The love they shared was one for the ages. We are asking for your help to bring him home and to assist with medical expenses for her.”
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 33 fatalities involving electrocutions in swimming pools and spas since 2002. The commission advises that if someone in the water is suspected of experiencing an electrical shock, all power should be immediately turned off and 911 should be called.
The American Red Cross recommends using a fiberglass Shepherd’s crook or rescue hook to extend your reach to the victim.
If the victim cannot grasp the hook, it should be used to encircle the victim’s body and pull them, face-up, to the edge of the water. The victim should then be carefully removed from the water.
