Christina Orebaugh was at the Kings Dominion amusement park with her husband Steve when she struck her head and almost drowned. Photo / Facebook
By Emily Crane
A water theme park has shut down one of its rides after a woman was severely injured when she struck her head and almost drowned.
Christina Orebaugh was at the Kings Dominion amusement park in Virginia on Tuesday with her husband Steve when she injured herself on the Tornado ride.
The tube the couple were riding in on the 19.8m high attraction flipped and caused Orebaugh to hit her head, the Daily Mail reports.
Her husband said she was immediately knocked unconscious and almost drowned.
Steve wrote on Facebook that he managed to get Orebaugh's head above water while he yelled for help. He claimed that everyone was just standing around.
The woman was rushed to VCU Medical Center for treatment.
Her husband claims she suffered a broken collarbone, a fractured shoulder and a broken toe from the ordeal. He also said she had to get staples in her head to close up a wound.
"She is in a lot of pain but she wants to thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. Fingers crossed we can go home today," Steve wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
Kings Dominion said the response from park staff was immediate, WTRV reports.
"Five aquatics personnel and four safety and security personnel responded," the park said.
"The first lifeguard was already in the water so the response was immediate. Within six seconds three lifeguards were in the water with the guest.
"The safety of our guests and staff is always our number one priority and the ride remains closed at this time while park officials conduct an investigation."
In October 2016 a New Zealand woman was one of four people killed on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast.
Cindy Low, 42, originally from Kawerau, died when the raft flipped, trapping the victims in the machinery below.
The mother-of-two lived in Sydney for at least a decade with her Kiwi husband, Matthew, who was originally from New Plymouth.
Study shows 90.3% of exercisers survived, compared with 83.2% in a control group.
