4 tourists, staff rescued after 'sky dining' platform stalls mid-air in Munnar
Idukki Collector said that the equipment that lifts the restaurant got stuck and the tourists will be brought down in half an hour.
Idukki Collector said that the equipment that lifts the restaurant got stuck and the tourists will be brought down in half an hour.
Idukki Collector said that the equipment that lifts the restaurant got stuck and the tourists will be brought down in half an hour.
Idukki: Fire and Rescue Services personnel on Thursday successfully saved five people stranded on a newly launched sky dining platform at Anachal near Munnar. The group included four tourists—Mohammed Safwan (31), his wife Thaufina (26), and their children Evan (6) and Inara (3), originally from Kannur and currently living in Mangaluru—along with staff member Haripriya (28).
The incident happened around 12.45 pm after a technical malfunction halted the hydraulic system operating the crane, leaving the platform stuck mid-air at a height of 120 feet. Teams from Adimali and Munnar fire stations, along with police, rushed to the spot.
A firefighter climbed to the platform using ropes, secured the passengers with safety harnesses, and brought them down one by one. Visuals showed the rescue team carefully descending with the children held close. The operation concluded successfully by around 4.30 pm.
Devikulam Sub-Collector V M Arya coordinated the rescue after learning of the incident. Though the staff initially attempted to resolve the malfunction and to take down those stranded using ropes, the Sub-Collector facilitated the quick deployment of rescue teams. The District Collector monitored the situation throughout.
The sky dining facility, operated by Southern Skies Aerodynamics, opened recently as part of an adventure tourism initiative, offering diners a 30-minute aerial experience at 120 feet. The platform seats 15 people and is lifted using a crane.
District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) Secretary Jithesh Jose told Onmanorama that timely reports were submitted to the Collector and further action would follow as directed. He said operators must strictly ensure safety measures for high-risk tourism activities.
Sub-Collector Arya later clarified that sky dining does not currently fall under the Kerala Adventure Tourism regulations, creating ambiguity about the applicable guidelines. She has directed the village officer to examine the establishment’s documents and said further study is required.