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An 18-year-old Korean man drowned after jumping into the Dotombori River during New Year's Eve celebrations early Thursday.
Police said the man, who has not been named pending notification to his family, was carrying a South Korean passport, NTV reported.
He was one of a crowd of about 60 people who jumped into the river in Chuo Ward just after midnight, NTV reported.
He was pulled out of the water in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest and taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead at around 4:30 a.m., police said.
© Japan Today
8 Comments
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WilliB
Arent 18 year olds always referred to as "youths" in Japan? Doesn´t apply for Koreans?
WA4TKG
His heart likely went into SHOCK, due to the cold temperature of the water...what a way to start the year.
smithinjapan
RIP. If he was the only one doing it I'd say it was stupid -- and I still think it's not exactly smart to be jumping into that heavily polluted and garbage-ridden river to begin with, let alone when it's this cold and with so much clothes on -- but all the same I doubt that's how he envisioned his night ending.
GW
With 60fools jumping in I think its lucky only one life was lost, landing in that filthy freezing "river" would I imagine made many of them panic once they hit the water, RIP!
Mirai Hayashi
Sorry, but jumping into a river in freezing cold temperatures is just plain stupid. I feel for his family that a moment of poor lack of judgement is going to cause lifetime of sorrow for many people.
Sabrage
Alcohol related.
smithinjapan
Mirai: It can be stupid, yes, and in situations like this it is not smart at all, but it can also be fun and exhilarating like with polar diving. In the latter, though, you have to have it supervised -- not like these people jumping into the Dotonbori, which you shouldn't jump into ANY time, warm or cold.
Americanhonor
what most likely occurred is that subsequent jumpers accidently jumped on top of him, its hapoened before... maybe concussing or rendering him unable to breathe. 60 jumpers in a narrow space... not good!