A nine-year-old child has tragically died following an incident at a water park in Pennsylvania.
The accident occurred at the Hersheypark water park on Thursday, where lifeguards noticed the young child was in distress at The Boardwalk, the park's themed water attraction.
Lifeguards jumped in to perform an "immediate rescue", as reported by The New York Post, but despite "tireless efforts" the child's life could not be saved.
The child was rushed to the nearby Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
John Lawn, the CEO of Hershey Entertainment, issued a statement after the heartbreaking incident.
He said: "Tonight, a nine-year-old guest was tragically lost at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. From the moment our lifeguard recognized that a child was in the distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders, and medical personnel.
"The child was transported without delay to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where despite everyone's tireless efforts, the child did not recover.
"Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss.
"Out of respect for their privacy we will not release any personal details at this time."
The Boardwalk is located in the northern section of the 119-year-old amusement park and features 16 different water rides, including Whitecap Racer, the world's longest mat racing slides, as well as The Shore, a 378,000 gallon wave pool which reaches six feet at its deepest.
No further details were shared about which attraction the tragedy occurred on.
The child's cause of death has not been confirmed, and Lawn revealed the park will fully cooperate with authorities as well as launch its own internal review following the death.
He added: "To every family that visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make.
"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."
This is only the second death attributed to an attraction at the park, which has been open for over a century.
The first was in 1977, when 16-year-old William Harter, who was repairing a switching mechanism on the SooperdooperLooper, the park's first inverted ride, was fatally run over by a coaster train which was released while he was working on the track, per the Lebanon Daily News.
Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this tragedy.