Two days after falling dozens of feet while attempting to take a customer out of their harness, a zip line worker—Joaquin Romero—from Southern California died on Monday morning. Romero sacrificed himself to save a stranded woman caught on the zipline. The 34-year-old zipline worker died two days after the accident in Pauma Valley, west of San Diego, whereas the woman remained unharmed.
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The event occurred on Saturday at the La Jolla Zip Zoom Zipline on the La Jolla Indian Reservation in southern California. According to witnesses, Mr Romero was assisting the woman in carefully attaching herself to a platform when she began to drift out on the zipline. The company is currently investigating the details of the incident and refused to comment on the incident.
The unfortunate event
When the woman tumbled onto the rope, she started to slide away. Romero is said to have grasped the strap in an attempt to stop her from going any farther but was dragged away. Reportedly, he grabbed the woman's harness to save her from sliding, but he was dragged along with her onto the line, and they both dangled dozens of feet over the earth.
Romero let go of the harness and sacrificed himself for the woman's safety because he felt they would both fall owing to their combined weight. The zipline has a maximum weight capacity of 250 pounds (113 kg) and a minimum weight requirement of 65 pounds (29 kg). According to the San Diego Medical Examiner's Office, he died of several blunt-force injuries while working on the receiving platform of a zip line. He said,
He arrived pulseless and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated… Following admission, the decedent was diagnosed with multiple blunt force injuries.
Employee loss
Normal Contreras, the La Jolla Band of Luiseo Indians' tribal chairwoman, is saddened by the loss of their zipline worker. Romero was rescued by Cal Fire and was airlifted to Sharp Memorial Hospital but could not make it. As such, Contreras commented,
We are saddened and heartbroken over the recent tragic accident involving one of our employees at the La Jolla Zip Zoom Zipline.
The Tribe, Tribal officials, employees and Tribal members extend our sincere condolences to our employee and his family for their loss…We ask that you join us in keeping our employee and his family in our prayers.
