Child dies at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark

A nine-year-old girl reportedly died Thursday at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark.

HERSHEY, Pa. — A nine-year-old girl reportedly died at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday, July 24 after an incident, according to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts CEO John Lawn. The Boardwalk is a waterpark section of the amusement park complex.

“From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel,” Lawn said in a statement. 

A Hersheypark spokesperson confirmed on Friday that the incident occurred in the Boardwalk portion of the park.

“The wave pool will remain closed today out of respect for the family and deep appreciation of our team members who worked so valiantly in their efforts to save the life of the guest,” the spokesperson said. 

Derry Township Police confirmed Friday evening that the incident happened at the wave pool.

The spokesperson said that the Boardwalk had over 100 Ellis & Associates-trained lifeguards at the time of the incident, 10 of which were located in the wave pool. 

“The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification from E&A, known as Special Facility Training, which includes deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR, and First Aid,” the statement said.

While attending the York State Fair, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro commented on the incident. Shapiro extended his condolences to the family.

According to the spokesperson, Hersheypark employs 19 Certified Lifeguard Instructors and one Instructor Trainer. 

The victim was transported to Hershey Medical Center, but despite life-saving efforts, the child passed away.

“Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family,” said Lawn. “We extend our deepest condolences for their loss.”

No personal details have been released at this time to give the family privacy.

“To every family who visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” said Lawn. “We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark.”

While park officials and law enforcement had no additional details about the nature of the incident, including which of the water park’s attractions it occurred in, the Hersheypark app listed The Shore, the park’s 378,000-gallon wave pool, as closed on Friday.

“I mourn the loss of that precious 9-year-old, and I want that family to know that I am praying for them and we hope that our prayers strengthen them,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “Local law enforcement, I’m sure, will have more to say about the ‘hows’ and the ‘whys’, but I just want that family to know that we’re here for them, mourning with them and care about them.”

The Derry Township Police Department stated that they are still in the “early stages of this process,” and are working to gather all the facts from the incident, according to a statement released on Friday

The last death at Hersheypark was in 1977, when a 16-year-old boy was hit by a coaster car while he performed routine maintenance on one of the amusement park’s rides, according to the Lebanon Daily News.

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