A man from Texas is dead and a woman is in life-threatening condition after they were electrocuted while sitting in a hot tub at a resort in Mexico, according to prosecutors and media reports.
The incident occurred Tuesday evening at a complex of private condos in Puerto Peñasco, a popular resort town also known as Rocky Point. Puerto Peñasco is a short distance from the Arizona border, making it a common destination for U.S. tourists.
Prosecutors from the state of Sonora said a 43-year-old man died and another person was injured “due to a possible electric discharge when both were inside the jacuzzi.”
Investigators “will carry out the relevant field analyses to determine the origin of the electrical failure,” prosecutors wrote in a Wednesday press release.
The victims were identified only by their first name and last initial, in keeping with Mexican laws on privacy. The man who died was identified as Jorge “N” and the other person was identified as Lizeth “N.”
A harrowing video of the aftermath of the electrocution spread on social media after the incident. Screams of onlookers can be heard as some huddle around the hot tub and others run for help. The video appears to show a person performing chest compressions on a person lying on the ground.
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CBS4 News identified the victims as Jorge Guillen and Lizette Zambrano of El Paso, Texas. The outlet reports that the couple had been staying at the Sonoran Sea Resort when they were electrocuted, and that Zambrano remains in critical condition.
El Paso broadcaster KTSM reports that a witness told authorities she tried to help the couple when she noticed they weren’t moving in the jacuzzi. When the witness tried to enter the hot tub, she was shocked by electricity. She then called for help.
Sonoran prosecutors told KTSM that Zambrano suffered life-threatening injuries and had burns consistent with electric shock. She was rushed to a local hospital, but was later transported back to the U.S. for further treatment.
A GoFundMe page to support the victims has raised over US$27,000, just shy of its US$30,000 goal. The organizers wrote that their “best friends” Guillen and Zambrano “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 ages. We are asking for your help to bring him home & help with medical expenses for her,” the page reads.
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