A honeymooning bride died after getting into difficulty while swimming at Snorkel Park on Thursday — less than a week after her wedding.

Cruise ship visitor Ting Chen, 28, was with husband Ron at the Dockyard beach when she collapsed just before 4.30 p.m.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate her at the scene before she was rushed to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital by ambulance. She was pronounced dead shortly after 5.30 p.m.

Mrs. Chen, a teacher at an all girls' school in NYC, is the second tourist in a week to die after swimming in Bermuda's waters. Juergen Ausborn, 66, from Ardsley, Southern Westchester County, New York, drowned last Sunday evening after he got into trouble in choppy water off Pompano Beach Club, Southampton.

Snorkel Park general manager Ray Lambert described the latest accident as a "major tragedy" for the beach venue.

He told The Royal Gazette: "She was obviously a novice swimmer and first-time snorkeller. Her and her husband were out in the water playing like anybody else.

"He must have left her for a moment and when he turned back she was in difficulties. She was face down in waist deep water. I guess he must have spotted her.

"There was a lot of people on the beach and everyone reacted quickly. In a matter of minutes a number of people pulled her up on the beach and CPR was applied. There was obviously a battle to revive her."

A female member of staff who saw the incident said: "She was out there swimming at first and then suddenly she just collapsed. She was not far off the beach."

Mr. Lambert said staff at Snorkel Park did what they could to comfort Mr. Chen. "He was quite distraught. Certainly we'd like to express our condolences to her family. We'll get in touch with them once he gets back to the US."

Snorkel Park is clearly signposted as having no lifeguard but its shallow waters are popular with families. Mr. Lambert said: "We try our best to maintain a safe, clean operation. There are no rip currents, no major tides or anything that's considered a hazard. It's a very popular spot for kids. It was just a tragic accident."

Mr. and Mrs. Chen, from Flushing, New York City, arrived here on the Norwegian Dawn on Wednesdayafter their July 26 wedding. Photographs of the ceremony are posted on Mrs. Chen's Facebook page, along with messages of congratulations from friends.

Yesterday, a friend of the couple replaced his Facebook profile photograph with a picture of a black ribbon embossed with the words: "A wife for five days. In our memories forever. Ting."

Mr. Chen, a pastor at the Long Island Abundant Life Church in Hicksville, New York, was understood to have stayed on the Island on Thursday night.

A colleague at his church said another pastor would probably travel here to help him. "The whole church will suffer. She was a very nice person and we liked her very much. We cry for this thing."

A Police statement said: "The Bermuda Police Service can now confirm the death of 28-year-old Ting Chen of New York.

"Mrs. Chen, a visitor to the Island, apparently got into difficulty while swimming at Snorkel Park in Dockyard around 4.20 p.m. Thursday.

"Despite receiving CPR at the scene, she was rushed to KEMH via ambulance in an unresponsive state and subsequently pronounced dead at 5.35 p.m. by an on-call physician.

"The Bermuda Police Service extends our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased."