The wife of a British tourist has died in a freak water sports accident when she was launched into the air by an inflatable raft at a resort in the Philippines.
Catherine Egam Mcewan, mother of two, 43, from Cagayan de Oro City, tried the activity while traveling with her husband Ken Mcewan and their children on Olango Island, on July 11, before landing on her head and dying.
Horrific footage shows Catherine lying at the end of a striped inflatable jetty in the crystal clear water, before a staff member prepares to jump from a high railing.
As the male lands on the balloon, the mother is launched into the air, but instead of diving into the water Catherine made a splash as expected when she hit the inflatable water surface head first, breaking her neck and rolling into the sea.
Rescuers waited briefly for her to resurface, but when she was still motionless underwater, worker Jay Paul Ontong, 21, rushed to tow her back to shore, near the Pinky’s Floating Cottage resort that runs the attraction.
The wife of a British tourist died when she landed on her head while bouncing on an inflatable ride in the sea at a resort in the Philippines on July 11. Pictured: Catherine Egam Mcewan, 43, (right) of Cagayan de Oro City, with her husband Ken Mcewan (left) and their children (center)
Catherine was seen lying on the inflatable object moments before she died
Catherine had tried the activity ‘hot air balloon jumping’ during her vacation at Pinky’s Floating Cottage resort in Olango Island, Philippines
The 43-year-old woman landed on her neck after being launched into the air and was in a coma for eight days before she died
The footage shows Jay swimming wildly into the open water, toward where Catherine’s body was floating near the balloon.
Catherine was transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, where she remained in a coma until her tragic death on July 19.
Devastated husband Ken, a technology specialist from Edinburgh who now lives in Singapore, posted a photo online of himself with Catherine and their two children.
Police based her death certificate on the death certificate, which states that she died of a “spinal cord injury caused by extreme water sports.”
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan issued a cease and desist order on Pinky’s Floating Cottage on July 21.
He said: ‘We immediately closed the attraction after the visitor died.
‘A meeting will be held next week with all operators to discuss the details of the current situation, including safety practices.’
Officials conducted an investigation after Catharine’s tragic death
Footage after the incident showed detectives and officers flipping through permit documents
Meanwhile, the resort manager stated that all visitors will be given instructions before trying out the balloon jumping activity.
A team of investigators and police officers were also spotted at the waterfront to assess the incident, looking through permit documents.
The resort owners have promised to pay Catherine’s medical and funeral expenses.
The news comes just two days after a British woman died after losing consciousness while swimming at a beach in Greece.
A lifeguard pulled the 66-year-old woman from the water at Achladies beach in Skiathos on Friday afternoon after she fell unconscious.
Medical professionals performed CPR and immediately took the woman to the nearby health centre on Skiathos, but unfortunately they could not save her life.
It is believed the woman lost consciousness due to the ‘intense heat in the area’, with temperatures on the island reaching 31 degrees Celsius and with little relief.
An FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We have offered consular support to the friends of a British woman who died in Greece.’