Melco defends safety of aquatic facilities

Amusement installations at the Studio City Water Park

Local resort operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment stressed that the installations at its Studio City Water Park were “checked before opening and during operation every day,” the operator told the Times.
On July 19, a social media post alleging that an accident took place at the Cotai aquatic theme park went viral. The user said that she sustained a bone fracture while playing on a slide at the theme park.
The slide in question has a whirlpool bowl in the middle of the ride. At one point in the ride, the riders, seated in large safety rings, are flushed through an opening in the center of the whirlpool. The user stated that she was injured in this facility and claimed that others have sustained various injuries on the same ride.
She added that she was not well taken care of by the resort team after she reported her injury.
In a reply to the enquiry by the Times, Chimmy Leung, executive director of Corporate Communications of Melco, reiterated that “the Water Park has gone through a number of safety checks prior to licensing and opening.”
Meanwhile, the executive pointed out that the installations at the theme park “are used in the largest water parks around the world, and in Asia specifically.”
Regarding the claim that the victim was not well-cared-for, Leung defended the resort team by stating that they offered immediate assistance to the victim. She also said that the company has been in contact with the victim.
According to a report by local public broadcaster Radio Macau, the Macao Government Tourism Office has acknowledged the receipt of a relevant complaint. Along with following up with the resort, the office has also shared the case with other competent government entities.
The Municipal Affairs Bureau — the licensing department of the facility — has inquired with the resort about the situation. The bureau stressed that the licensing procedure involved several government entities, and a third-party safety report was taken into account. AL