23-2-2024 (BEIJING) An incident occurred at the Haichang Aquarium in Zhengzhou during the Spring Festival, where a diver lost his life while performing underwater duties. Shockingly, tourists initially mistook the struggling diver for a mannequin, and it took over 10 minutes for the gravity of the situation to be realized by aquarium staff. Despite rescue attempts, the diver was declared dead, raising concerns about safety protocols.
Reports from Chinese media, particularly the “Yangtze Evening News,” revealed that vigilant netizens raised alarms, suspecting that a staff member was drowning. When inquiries were made to other staff, no response was given. The bystanders, at one point, believed the person underwater was a dummy, unaware that the diver had been submerged for more than 10 minutes. Despite subsequent rescue efforts, including CPR, the diver did not survive after being rushed to the hospital.
Video footage depicts a diver connected to a pipeline falling into the aquarium’s pool. Approximately 7 or 8 tourists witnessed the distressing scene, with 6 or 7 staff members eventually responding to the emergency. Unfortunately, the diver’s fate was sealed, leading to questions about the adequacy of the rescue operation.
In response to the incident, aquarium staff confirmed the drowning during the Spring Festival holiday.
