American tourist dies in hot tub electrocution at a Mexican resort

A Texas man has died after he was electrocuted in a hot tub at a resort complex in northwest Mexico this week.

Jorge Guillen, 43, died and his wife, 35-year-old Lizette Zambrano, was injured after they were both shocked by “electric discharge” in the jacuzzi at the Sonoran Sea Resort in Puerto Peñasco around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The couple, who were identified by CBS affiliate KDBC, had traveled to Sonora from El Paso, Texas.

A witness who spoke to Telemundo said bystanders made frantic attempts to pull the couple out of the water but were stymied by the electrical current. One woman was even shocked herself as she tried to enter the hot tub. Videos posted on social media show the chaotic aftermath of the tragedy, with witnesses screaming as they tried to help the couple.

When authorities arrived at the complex, Guillen was found submerged under the water.

The complex has reportedly shut down all hot tubs in the complex, one of the witnesses said.

The attorney general’s office for the state has launched an investigation into the matter to determine Guillen’s official cause of death. Officials are also working to determine what caused the electric discharge.

A GoFundMe had been established to help support the couple’s family. The fundraising site is asking for donations to help bring the man’s body home and support the woman’s medical expenses.

Following the incident, Zambrano was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

“Jorge had a heart of gold and was always there for family and friends,” the page reads. “The love they shared was one for ages.” By early Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser had raked in more than $30,000.