Family Killed in Water
Accident
Five members of a family
were swept away by
torrential waters when
they were enjoying a
family day near the
riverbed of the Balsa
river in San Lorenzo de
San Ramón, Alajuela.
The family was enjoying
the day in an area with
very difficult access.
The accident occurred
near the Hotel Tierras
Enamoradas located in
the Parque Nacional
Volcán Arenal,
surrounded my mountains
and rivers, some 28
kilometres north of San
Ramón, an area known as
Bajo los Rodríguez.
The victims were
identified as Luis
Fernando Salazar
Gonzalo, 42, manager of
the Banco de Costa Rica
branch in Naranjo, his
wife, Isabel Rosales
Barquero, 36, and their
three children: Luis
Alejandro, 15, Esteban,
12 and José Andrés, 11.
The couples' 5 year old
daughter, Valeria,
survived the accident,
along with a tourist and
the guide on the trail.
The bodies of the
victims were dragged a
distance from the scene
of the accident as
members of the Cruz Roja
(Red Cross) and Fuerza
Pública (police), along
with firefighters,
rescued the survivors
and recovered the
bodies.
The family arrived at
the hotel on Saturday to
enjoy the weekend as
part of their mid-year
school break vacation.
The family decided to
take walk after enjoying
an afternoon of "canyoning"
when it appears the
guide led the group into
a cavern when, it
appears, the torrential
water from La Balsa
river surprised them.
The first call to 911
came at 5:00pm.
According to the
Comisión Nacional de
Emergencias (CNE) -
national emergency
commission - the area
has been under a "red"
alert given the poor
weather in the last
several days. A CNE
officials said he did
know why the hotel
administration did not
respect the alert,
knowing that there is a
risk to visitors.
The lawyer for the
hotel, Nelly Jiménez,
last night made a press
statement, explaining
the accident and that
Luis Fernando was well
known to the hotel and
had stayed there in the
past. The lawyer added
that climatic conditions
at the time of the
accident were "normal"
and that the tour has
been part of the hotels
activities for a number
of years enjoyed by
many, including Luis
Fernando, who was
familiar with the tour.
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