Teenage tourist plummets to death after safety rope snaps on Sichuan swing ride, protests about loose harness allegedly ignored
A 16-year-old died after falling from a swing ride in China’s Sichuan province, with footage allegedly showing her raising concerns about her loose safety harness before the tragedy.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of May 3 at Maliuyan Adventure Park in Huaying, Sichuan province, China.
A video circulating online shows the victim, surnamed Liu, being hoisted toward the edge of the platform while holding a light blue flag behind her back. Liu can reportedly be heard shouting “not tight enough” several times with laughter audible in the background.
Despite her protests, the mechanical cable continues to reel her forward. Liu turns to the camera with a panicked expression as she is brought past the safety railings.
A staff member wearing a red safety vest guides the rope attached to Liu’s harness as she goes over the platform. The mechanism holding Liu to the main rope appears to buckle once, dropping her down a metre, before snapping completely a second later.
A woman behind the camera shouts in horror as Liu plummets towards the ground, frantically fluttering her feet.
Aftermath video shows teen dangling from rope
A series of clips apparently showing the aftermath of accident shows Liu lying limp in her harness as the bungee cord dangles her in the air. Passers-by can be seen craning their heads to look, some filming her while others walked away, covering their mouths in shock.
Liu was subsequently lowered to the ground. A second clip shows the victim lying on the ground, with the blue flag draped over her body.
A third video shows Liu lying in a blue stretcher with bloodied knees, seemingly being attended to by paramedics.
According to Chinese media outlet Beijing News, Liu died en route to the hospital. Some reports have identified the victim as a 16-year-old tourist.
Initial investigations confirmed that the accident was a “workplace safety incident”, and the parties involved are under investigation. The park has also been closed for rectification works.
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