Wave pool 'tsunami' injures 44 after malfunction at water park

A fun day at a water park turned into a nightmare when a wave machine malfunctioned, sending three-metre waves into the ‘tsunami pool’, wiping out tourists.

There were 44 people injured when the massive waves plowed through swimmers and sent people flying in northern China's Shuiyun Water Park on Monday.

Terrifying footage of the incident at the water park in Longjing city, in Jilin province, shows a large wave produced by the wave machine sweeping away the swimmers in the park’s “tsunami pool”.

Tourists in swimming rings were flipped upside down, while others were dumped onto the land, while people screamed.

According to the South China Morning Post, the incident was caused by the mechanical fault, which quoted a local government announcement.

“According to the initial stages of the investigation, the incident was caused by a power cut that damaged electronic equipment in the tsunami pool control room, which led to the waves in the tsunami pool becoming too big and injuring people,” the report stated.

In a statement, the water park claimed only around 10 people were injured, falling short of the official count of 44, with reports of people remaining in hospital with broken bones and suspected serious injuries.

“The wave pool was closed for a day for repairs. It's already been fixed and will be open tomorrow," a water park spokesperson stated on Monday.

An investigation into the incident continues.

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