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Kerala Sky Dining Horror: 5 Stranded 120 Feet in Air Amid Technical Glitch

A sky dining experience in Kerala turned terrifying when five people got stuck 120 feet in the air. The platform couldn't be lowered due to a mechanical failure in the crane system. Rescue teams worked for three hours to safely bring everyone down, prioritizing the children first. This incident has raised serious questions about safety standards in adventure tourism activities.

Key Points: Kerala Sky Dining Malfunction Leaves Five Tourists Stranded

  • Five individuals stranded for three hours at 120-foot height
  • Rescue teams prioritized evacuating children including a toddler
  • Mechanical failure prevented crane from lowering dining platform
  • Incident sparks safety concerns about adventure tourism ventures
2 min read

Kerala: Technical glitch leaves 5 stranded 120 feet in air at sky dining facility; rescued

Five people, including a toddler, were rescued after being stranded 120 feet high at a Munnar sky dining facility due to a technical malfunction that halted their platform.

"The children were rescued first as a precautionary measure, including a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler. - Rescue Officials"

Munnar, Nov 28

In a dramatic incident at a newly launched sky dining facility in Anachal near Munnar in Kerala's Idukki district, five individuals -- including a four-member tourist family from Kannur and a staff member were stranded mid-air for more than three hours after a technical malfunction halted the crane used to lift the dining platform.

After close to three hours of rescue work, all five who were stranded in the air were brought down safely.

The adventure tourism project, which offers guests a unique experience of dining 120 feet above ground, ran into trouble on Friday evening when the crane reportedly failed to lower the platform due to a sudden mechanical glitch.

Rescue efforts were immediately initiated, and authorities managed to safely bring all individuals down.

The children were rescued first as a precautionary measure, including a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler.

According to officials, trained staff from the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, along with local emergency support teams, oversaw the evacuation, ensuring that panic was avoided.

Visuals of the suspended sky dining platform shown on TV channels here drew widespread attention and raised concerns over safety protocols in adventure tourism.

The sky dining concept, introduced recently as part of Kerala’s tourism promotion initiatives, allows 15 people at a time to dine while enjoying panoramic aerial views for over 30 minutes.

Participants are strapped into seats attached to a platform lifted by a crane.

The experience has quickly become popular among tourists seeking thrill and novelty.

However, Friday's incident has sparked debate over safety standards and regulatory oversight.

While officials attributed the trouble to a "technical malfunction", tourism department sources indicated that a detailed inspection would be conducted to assess the structural and operational safety of the facility.

Though all participants were brought down safely without injury, the incident has raised alarm over the growing trend of high-risk tourism ventures.

Local authorities have assured that strict safety audits will be undertaken to prevent such mishaps in the future, emphasizing that public safety remains paramount even as the State seeks to boost its adventure tourism appeal.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
This is exactly why I avoid these fancy tourist traps. Kerala has such beautiful natural attractions - why do we need these artificial thrill experiences that put lives at risk? Stick to houseboats and hill stations!
D
David E
As someone who works in engineering, this is concerning. Cranes used for human lifting should have multiple fail-safe mechanisms. Hope the investigation reveals what went wrong and proper protocols are implemented.
A
Ananya R
Kudos to the Kerala Fire and Rescue team! They handled the situation professionally and rescued everyone without panic. Our emergency services are truly commendable. 👏
S
Sarah B
While I appreciate Kerala's efforts to boost tourism, safety cannot be compromised. Regular maintenance and safety audits should be mandatory for all such adventure activities. This could have ended much worse.
V
Vikram M
I was planning to try this sky dining next month with my family. Now having second thoughts completely. Hope the authorities conduct thorough inspections and ensure such incidents don't repeat.
K
Kavya N
The psychological impact on those people must be huge. Stranded for 3 hours at that height! The tourism department should provide counseling support to the affected families along with compensation.

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