BREAKING: 9 and 11-Year-Old Brothers Die at Water Park; Electrocution Suspected

A tragic accident occurred yesterday (June 21) at approximately 2:40 p.m. at a water play facility in Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, where two elementary school-aged brothers lost their lives while playing in the water.

Emergency services and police were dispatched to the scene immediately after receiving a report from the children's mother, who stated that her children had collapsed in the water and were unresponsive.

The 119 rescue team recovered the 11-year-old and 9-year-old brothers, who were in cardiac arrest, and rushed them to a nearby hospital, but both children ultimately passed away.

The brothers had visited the facility with their mother to enjoy the weekend when the tragedy struck.

An investigation revealed that the water park had not yet officially opened for the summer season, and there were no other visitors present at the time.

It was also determined that because the facility was not yet open, there were no staff members or safety personnel stationed at the site.

Police and fire authorities are focusing on the fact that the water level in the area where the brothers were playing was very shallow, reaching only ankle height.

Given that the brothers were found in cardiac arrest simultaneously in such shallow water, authorities are considering the possibility that this was not a simple drowning accident.

Consequently, the police are investigating the possibility of electrocution caused by a short circuit in the electrical equipment.

The fire department also requested a joint response from the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) immediately after the accident to investigate potential electrical factors from the start.

The police have secured and are analyzing CCTV footage from the scene. They are also investigating the facility's safety management practices, including how the brothers were able to enter the water park before its official opening.

In addition, to determine the exact cause of death, authorities plan to request an autopsy for the brothers from the National Forensic Service today (June 22).

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.