Latest news with #BhutaneseCommunity
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
9-Year-Old Who Drowned in Hersheypark Wave Pool Remembered at Funeral with 'Deep Love and Sorrow'
A funeral for Sophia Subedi was held on Wednesday, July 30NEED TO KNOW On Wednesday, July 30, friends and family gathered to attend the funeral for Sophia Subedi, 9, who drowned at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania The Dauphin County Coroner's Office said an autopsy shows the child died as a result of accidental "fresh water drowning" at the park on Thursday, July 24 More than 500 people were expected to attend, Board of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg (BCH) Chairman Tilak Niroula previously told PEOPLELoved ones gathered to pay their final respects to Sophia Subedi, a 9-year-old girl who drowned at Hersheypark's water park in Pennsylvania last week. The Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg shared in a statement via Facebook that the ceremony was filled "with deep love and sorrow." "Your presence, prayers, and compassion brought comfort to the grieving family and strength to our community. At this time, the family asks for continued privacy as they grieve," the statement said. Pennsylvania State Sen. Patty Kim said in a statement on Facebook that the support from Sophia's school and the Bhutanese community was "strong and beautiful." "I will continue to pray for comfort and healing for her family," her statement added. In addition to remembering Sophia on Facebook, Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas paid tribute to Sophia in a statement shared with PEOPLE, stating that he was "deeply moved" by the "hundreds of members of the Bhutanese community gather at the funeral service." "It was a powerful display of unity and shared grief as we came together to honor Sophia's vibrant spirit," he added. "Hearing people recount how Sophia was bubbly, kind, full of life, always greeting others with 'Namaste' and warm hugs—these heartfelt memories painted a vivid portrait of her gentle soul and left everyone in tears and awe." Douglas said that Sophia's family "described the loss as an irreparable chasm in their hearts." "Our culture emphasizes collective support—witnessing this fabric of community manifest in real time was both tragic and profoundly beautiful. We feel a responsibility to carry her light forward through memorial initiatives, safety advocacy, and shared love for each other," his statement continued. The bright, young girl who aspired to be a teacher was in the wave pool at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark when she became "in distress" on Thursday, July 24. A park representative later confirmed that the incident occurred at the wave pool, where 10 dedicated lifeguards were present. Lifeguards attempted to perform life-saving measures and immediately transported the child to the nearby Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. In a previous statement shared with PEOPLE, the Dauphin County Coroner's Office said an autopsy showed that Sophia died as a result of accidental "fresh water drowning." "The decedent did not have a medical event that caused the drowning," the coroner's office added. Subedi was known as a 'really beautiful little girl... very respectful with her friends, elders, parents, and as a whole to the community," Bhutanese Community of Harrisburg (BCH) Chairman Tilak Niroula told PEOPLE on Tuesday, July 29. "When she sees new people walking in the walkway, she always wished to stop by, say hi, hello, good morning. So, she was really nice. She was very outspoken," Niroula continued. He went on to say that her parents and 5-year-old sister are "still trying to navigate through this difficult time" and are currently declining to speak with the media. A GoFundMe has also been created on behalf of her family. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In his initial statement, John Lawn, CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resort, called the company's commitment to safety 'our highest priority.' "To every family who visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make," his statement concluded. "We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark." The Derry Township Police previously said authorities were still "working to gather all the facts" but their "thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon." A final "review of the incident" should be finalized by the end of the week. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Little girl, 9, who was 'light of our lives' dies after freak tragedy in Hersheypark wave pool
The 9-year-old child who died after being pulled from the wave pool at Pennsylvania 's Hersheypark has been identified as a young girl from Harrisburg. While her name has not been released publicly, 'out of respect for the family,' community leaders have confirmed she was a beloved member of the local Bhutanese population. The young girl was 'in distress' in the wave pool before she died, authorities said. 'Our hearts break for this child and the child's family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time,' a statement from CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, John Lawn, said. The iconic theme park released a statement of its own on Saturday, commending the lifesaving efforts of park staff and extending condolences to the grieving family. 'We can confirm that the incident occurred at the wave pool within The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. The wave pool will remain closed today out of respect for the family and deep appreciation of our team members who worked so valiantly in their efforts to save the life of the guest,' an updated statement from Hersheypark reads. Hersheypark said there were over 100 trained lifeguards at the park at the time of the tragic incident, including '10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool' attraction. 'There were over 100 E&A-trained lifeguards in the Boardwalk at the time of the incident. There were 10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool at the time of the incident. 'The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification from E&A, known as Special Facility Training, which includes deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR, and First Aid. Additionally, as part of Hersheypark's commitment to water safety, complimentary life vests are also available to all of our guests,' the park said. Now, the young girl - described as 'full of promise, innocence, and joy' - is being remembered by members of her local community. 'At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy – a light in the lives of all who knew her,' Tilak Niroula, chairman of the Board for the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, announced on the group's Facebook page. 'Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community she was so warmly a part of. Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time,' he continued. The young girl - described as 'full of promise, innocence, and joy' - is being remembered by members of her local community 'Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer and support.' The girl had been visiting The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday, July 24, when she became 'in distress' in the water, according to a statement from the park's parent company CEO. 'From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel,' Lawn said. After park staff performed life-saving measures, the young girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. However, it remains unclear at this time how the child died. The Derry Township Police Department and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office said they are continuing their investigation into the incident, as park officials say they will 'fully cooperate' and even 'conduct an internal review' of their own. 'The Derry Township Police Department is assisting Hersheypark and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office with their review into the death of a 9-year-old child at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on the evening of July 24, 2025. 'We are still on the early stages of this process, and we are working to gather all of the facts in the incident. 'Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon,' the Derry Township Police Department said. The 9-year-old girl's death marks the first fatality at the park since 1977. The Boardwalk area of the park features 16 water attractions, including a 378,000-gallon wave pool called 'The Shore,' which reaches a depth of six feet.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Girl, 9, Who Died at Hersheypark Remembered as Being 'Full of Promise' and ‘a Light in the Lives of All Who Knew Her'
"Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community," one mourner said The 9-year-old child who died at Hersheypark's water park is being remembered by her local community. Tilak Niroula, a chairman of the Board for the Bhutanese Community in nearby Harrisburg, Pa., remembered the child — whose name has not yet been shared publicly — describing her as a 'beloved' member of their local Bhutanese community.'At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy — a light in the lives of all who knew her,' Niroula said in a statement to WGAL-TV. 'Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community she was so warmly a part of.' 'Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time,' he continued. 'Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer and support.' The preteen was visiting The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday, July 24, when she became "in distress" in the water, according to a statement from John Lawn, CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. 'From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel," Lawn said. In an updated statement obtained by WGAL-TV, the water park said the incident 'occurred at the wave pool within The Boardwalk." The area 'remain closed' after the incident 'out of respect for the family and deep appreciation of our team members who worked so valiantly in their efforts to save the life of the guest.' A representative told PEOPLE after the tragedy that Hersheypark "places the highest priority on water safety at The Boardwalk," and there were over 100 trained lifeguards at the park at the time of the incident, including "10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool.' "The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification, which includes deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR and First Aid," the spokesperson continued. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories CEO Lawn promised that the company would "conduct a thorough internal review and cooperate fully with authorities" in the "coming days." He said they would also "thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark." The Derry Township Police Department is assisting the park in the investigation. "Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon," police said. The Dauphin County Coroner's Office, meanwhile, said in a statement that it remains in "the early stages of this process, and we are working to gather all of the facts." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Trump lined up a tiny Himalayan nation for his travel ban list
When a list of 43 countries slated for possible travel bans to the US was leaked over the weekend, citizens of one tiny Himalayan nation were left baffled as to why their kingdom was in the 'red' column. Along with North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan, Bhutan – the Buddhist-majority nation of 800,000 people – faces a complete ban on its citizens entering the US. Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, it is nestled high up in the mountains between India and China. It hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2016, and the King in 1998. This year, Ed Sheeran played a concert at the national stadium. The new travel ban – which has not yet been signed off – is the result of Donald Trump's executive order in January, which required the State Department to identify countries 'for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries'. The president said he was taking the action to protect American citizens 'from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes'. The red group, comprising 11 countries including Bhutan, would face the most severe restrictions – a complete ban on their citizens entering the US. The potential blacklisting has caused concern in Thimphu, and other capitals, as observers try to understand why they have been targeted. The US draft list has sparked debate over Bhutan's own immigration policies, where it has barred exiled citizens from returning to their homeland. Bhutan introduced a 'one nation, one people' policy after a 1988 census revealed a Nepalese majority in the country's southern districts. Tens of thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were evicted and forced into refugee camps in Nepal. By the early 1990s, Bhutan had expelled around 80,000 people – about one-sixth of its population – using threats, destruction of property, imprisonment, and torture. Most of these refugees have since been resettled in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia. However, Bhutan has refused to allow exiled communities to return, drawing criticism from human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch. Sudarshan Pyakurel, executive director of the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, accused the country of hypocrisy. 'For decades, Bhutan has barred Bhutanese-Americans from visiting their homeland, seeing their families, attending funerals, weddings, and religious pilgrimages. Was that fair? Bhutan defends its right to impose restrictions, yet when other nations do the same, it suddenly feels wrong? Fairness isn't a one-way street,' Mr Pyakurel said. 'If Bhutan truly seeks fairness, it should start with its own people – grant visitation rights to Bhutanese-Americans, release political prisoners, repatriate the remaining refugees from Nepal,' he added. Another possible reason for the exclusion could be the fallout from a major immigration scandal in 2023, in which Nepalese nationals posed as 'Bhutanese refugees' to gain entry to the US. The scam, involving high-ranking Nepalese politicians and bureaucrats, led to the arrest of Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, the former deputy prime minister, and Bal Krishna Khand, the former home minister, who were accused of extorting over $2 million from Nepali citizens. They allegedly charged between $7,600 and $38,000 per person for fake refugee documents to facilitate entry into the US. The scam defrauded at least 875 people, sparking protests in Kathmandu and raising concerns in Washington about the integrity of Bhutanese refugee resettlement. Another factor contributing to Bhutan's red-listing may be an increase in Bhutanese nationals illegally entering the US via Canada and Mexico. Bhutan's high unemployment rate has driven a significant outflow of young professionals and civil servants. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement data show that between 2021 and 2024, at least 51 Bhutanese nationals were arrested for immigration violations. Meanwhile, the figures from the US Department of Homeland Security indicate that between 2013 and 2022, at least 200 Bhutanese were caught residing illegally in the US and 61 were deemed inadmissible upon arrival. There are also concerns over Bhutanese visa overstay rates, with the Trump administration targeting countries whose nationals have demonstrated patterns of remaining in the US beyond their authorised periods of stay. In 2022, 112 out of the 295 visitors from Bhutan failed to leave the US as required. In 2023, 72 out 371 overstayed their visas. Bhutan had previously been flagged for high overstay rates in a 2019 Homeland Security report, which identified it alongside Chad (44.94 per cent), Djibouti (37.91 per cent), Mauritania (30.49 per cent), Iran (21.64 per cent), and Afghanistan (11.99 per cent). During Mr Trump's first term, Bhutan was among several nations whose citizens were required to post bonds of up to $15,000 before being granted US visas due to overstay concerns. The US has long suspected Bhutanese nationals of exploiting cultural exchange programmes to gain entry to the country. According to a 2010 Wikileaks cable, a group claiming to be a Bhutanese Buddhist folk music and dance troupe was discovered to be a front for human smuggling. They would charge between $3,000 and $ 4,000 from people for the US visa. Bhutan's ministry of foreign affairs and external trade has formally requested a review of the listing, insisting that Bhutanese citizens did not pose a significant security threat to the US, according to local media outlet Kuensel. Karma Loday, a former politician, wrote an open letter to Mr Trump on his Facebook page, expressing disappointment over the US ban. 'I feel it is unfair for whatever reason to have my beloved country enlisted with some of the countries with terrorism history. We are in no capacity to even defend our nation militarily without seeking help from others let alone wage an act of terrorism to the United States if that is a suspicion,' Mr Loday said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Why Trump lined up a tiny Himalayan nation for his travel ban list
When a list of 43 countries slated for possible travel bans to the US was leaked over the weekend, citizens of one tiny Himalayan nation were left baffled as to why their kingdom was in the 'red' column. Along with North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan, Bhutan – the Buddhist-majority nation of 800,000 people – faces a complete ban on its citizens entering the US. Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, it is nestled high up in the mountains between India and China. It hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2016, and the King in 1998. This year, Ed Sheeran played a concert at the national stadium. The new travel ban – which has not yet been signed off – is the result of Donald Trump's executive order in January, which required the State Department to identify countries 'for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries'. The president said he was taking the action to protect American citizens 'from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes'. The red group, comprising 11 countries including Bhutan, would face the most severe restrictions – a complete ban on their citizens entering the US. The potential blacklisting has caused concern in Thimphu, and other capitals, as observers try to understand why they have been targeted. Why ban Bhutanese travellers? The US draft list has sparked debate over Bhutan's own immigration policies, where it has barred exiled citizens from returning to their homeland. Bhutan introduced a 'one nation, one people' policy after a 1988 census revealed a Nepalese majority in the country's southern districts. Tens of thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were evicted and forced into refugee camps in Nepal. By the early 1990s, Bhutan had expelled around 80,000 people – about one-sixth of its population – using threats, destruction of property, imprisonment, and torture. Most of these refugees have since been resettled in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia. However, Bhutan has refused to allow exiled communities to return, drawing criticism from human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch. Sudarshan Pyakurel, executive director of the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, accused the country of hypocrisy. 'For decades, Bhutan has barred Bhutanese-Americans from visiting their homeland, seeing their families, attending funerals, weddings, and religious pilgrimages. Was that fair? Bhutan defends its right to impose restrictions, yet when other nations do the same, it suddenly feels wrong? Fairness isn't a one-way street,' Mr Pyakurel said. 'If Bhutan truly seeks fairness, it should start with its own people – grant visitation rights to Bhutanese-Americans, release political prisoners, repatriate the remaining refugees from Nepal,' he added. Nepalese immigration scandal Another possible reason for the exclusion could be the fallout from a major immigration scandal in 2023, in which Nepalese nationals posed as 'Bhutanese refugees' to gain entry to the US. The scam, involving high-ranking Nepalese politicians and bureaucrats, led to the arrest of Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, the former deputy prime minister, and Bal Krishna Khand, the former home minister, who were accused of extorting over $2 million from Nepali citizens. They allegedly charged between $7,600 and $38,000 per person for fake refugee documents to facilitate entry into the US. The scam defrauded at least 875 people, sparking protests in Kathmandu and raising concerns in Washington about the integrity of Bhutanese refugee resettlement. Infiltration via Canada and Mexico Another factor contributing to Bhutan's red-listing may be an increase in Bhutanese nationals illegally entering the US via Canada and Mexico. Bhutan's high unemployment rate has driven a significant outflow of young professionals and civil servants. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement data show that between 2021 and 2024, at least 51 Bhutanese nationals were arrested for immigration violations. Meanwhile, the figures from the US Department of Homeland Security indicate that between 2013 and 2022, at least 200 Bhutanese were caught residing illegally in the US and 61 were deemed inadmissible upon arrival. Visa overstays There are also concerns over Bhutanese visa overstay rates, with the Trump administration targeting countries whose nationals have demonstrated patterns of remaining in the US beyond their authorised periods of stay. In 2022, 112 out of the 295 visitors from Bhutan failed to leave the US as required. In 2023, 72 out 371 overstayed their visas. Bhutan had previously been flagged for high overstay rates in a 2019 Homeland Security report, which identified it alongside Chad (44.94 per cent), Djibouti (37.91 per cent), Mauritania (30.49 per cent), Iran (21.64 per cent), and Afghanistan (11.99 per cent). During Mr Trump's first term, Bhutan was among several nations whose citizens were required to post bonds of up to $15,000 before being granted US visas due to overstay concerns. Fake cultural groups The US has long suspected Bhutanese nationals of exploiting cultural exchange programmes to gain entry to the country. According to a 2010 Wikileaks cable, a group claiming to be a Bhutanese Buddhist folk music and dance troupe was discovered to be a front for human smuggling. They would charge between $3,000 and $ 4,000 from people for the US visa. What does the government say? Bhutan's ministry of foreign affairs and external trade has formally requested a review of the listing, insisting that Bhutanese citizens did not pose a significant security threat to the US, according to local media outlet Kuensel. Karma Loday, a former politician, wrote an open letter to Mr Trump on his Facebook page, expressing disappointment over the US ban. 'I feel it is unfair for whatever reason to have my beloved country enlisted with some of the countries with terrorism history. We are in no capacity to even defend our nation militarily without seeking help from others let alone wage an act of terrorism to the United States if that is a suspicion,' Mr Loday said.
