UPDATED: See below…
A Swedish man was electrocuted at a resort on Panglao Island after he trod on a wet pathway that had been exposed to a power line.
Bengt Gustaf Ludvig Linné, aged 59, was declared dead after the freak accident at the Hidden Dream Resort in Barangay Tawala yesterday (Wednesday, March 21).
The Bohol Police Provincial Office said Mr Linné, from the Swedish town of Hörby, was walking with his girlfriend Nemia Dagsaan Baylen, a 37-year-old from Botulan, Zambales, when tragedy struck.
Eyewitnesses report that he immediately slumped onto the pathway after he received the shock. When his girlfriend went to his assistance, she too received a shock, but survived.
Attempts to resuscitate Mr Linné at the scene were unsuccessful. He was later declared dead at the Borja Family Hospital in Tagbilaran City, which is a 35-minute drive from Panglao. Medical facilities on the island are limited to a municipal health centre.
A member of the Bohol Tourist Police Office was called to the Alona Beach resort and helped switch off the power circuit breaker.
An investigation into the incident was launched today to determine whether there was any foul play involved.
On Tuesday this week, we reported on a similar case of electrocution, when a teenage boy trod on a live wire that had been deliberately placed in a garden to deter thieves from stealing fighting cocks.
Edison Calsado Caratay, aged 16, had been in his neighbour’s garden hunting for fighting spiders. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
According to Rappler, Panglao Island has seen a number of fatal accidents involving tourists in recent times.
In August 2016, a police officer from Dallas, Texas, died on his wedding day after he was hit by a boat’s propeller. In March 2017, a 40-year-old French tourist died while snorkelling. In July, a 29-year-old Chinese traveller met the same fate. Then, in September, a Korean man died drowned in a resort’s swimming pool. Most recently, in February, a Korean woman was killed after she fell into the sea and was hit in the head by a boat’s propeller.
UPDATE (March 25): Local police have issued a statement contradicting the testimony of Mr Linné’s girlfriend. According to this statement, the cause of his death was cardiac arrest, and unrelated to any electrocution.
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