Teen collapses while fishing for Pokemon in sea
Assaf Ben Guzi, 17, pulled out of water by his brother, is hospitalized; he caught the monster, though
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An Israeli teenager had to be rescued after losing consciousness in the Mediterranean Sea while chasing a Pokemon Go monster on his phone Monday night.
Assaf Ben Guzi, 17, was pulled out of the water at an Ashdod beach by his brother after he collapsed, cellphone in hand.
He was hospitalized in the Kaplan Medical Center and was being kept for observation.
According to Israeli reports, Ben Guzi managed to apprehend the water-based Wartortle Pokemon before fainting. But it was not immediately clear how his phone fared.
“I managed to catch it and then I collapsed in the water, and from there on I don’t remember anything,” the teenager told Channel 2.
The hospital issued a public warning to Israelis against catching Pokemon in the sea.
ISRAEL: 17yo tried to catch #PokemonGO, entered the sea and almost drowned pic.twitter.com/8wiM9XCN5Y
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) July 26, 2016
Ben Guzi’s doctor also speculated the teenager may have collapsed as a result of a little too much Pokemon Go.
“Assaf was very focused in his search for the Pokemon, and in his excitement, ran into the water while focused entirely on what was happening on his cellphone,” Professor Ronit Gilad told Channel 2. “The reason for the collapse was not entirely clear, but there is no doubt that the fact that he roamed around for several hours with his phone, with his gaze on it, could have served as a trigger to his collapse.”
The Pokemon Go app uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train them for battles.
The game has prompted increasing concern worldwide over safety, with reports of players straying into restricted areas, being injured or becoming crime victims.
AFP contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.