Man drowns at Sequoia National Park
A man drowned while visiting Sequoia National Park last weekend, officials confirmed to SFGATE.
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On Saturday, National Park Service staff were notified of a potential drowning near Hospital Rock, which is on the Kaweah River, Park Service spokesperson Holly Streit told SFGATE in an email.
Park rangers and first responders arrived at the scene, where they provided emergency medical care. It is unclear whether the man died at the scene or was taken to the hospital.
The man was identified as Luis Alberto Gomez, a 27-year-old from Huntington Park, according to Tulare County sheriff’s spokesperson Ashley Ritchie Schwarm. Gomez is not the first person to drown in the Kaweah River this summer. In June, A 17-year-old girl drowned in the river while on a hike with family and friends.
Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for visitors at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, according to the Park Service. The rivers are surrounded by slippery rocks and the currents move quickly.
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“In river-related deaths, many people did not intend to swim, but fell in,” a Park Service webpage states. “Cold water can quickly weaken your strength, and strong currents can make it nearly impossible to get back out. Hypothermia can set in quickly even if it is warm outside.”
The Park Service warns visitors to avoid swimming when there are strong currents or steep drop-offs.
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