Lightning struck the Ferris wheel, leaving 20 passengers suspended in the sky for 9 hours

(Dan Tri) - 20 tourists had an unforgettable experience at the Osaka Ferris wheel (Japan) when they were suspended in the air for 9 hours.

The unexpected incident occurred at around 5:40 p.m. on November 25 at the 123-meter-high Osaka Ferris wheel in the Expocity complex in Japan. This amusement park is located in Osaka Prefecture.

The incident happened during a thunderstorm. Lightning struck the Ferris wheel, causing the cabins to stop operating. About 20 passengers were trapped in 9 cabins.

20 passengers were trapped in the cabins for 9 hours (Photo: Kyoto News).

Although power to the Ferris wheel was restored shortly afterward, it remained unable to operate as the power control system continued to fail, preventing passengers from being brought to the ground.

The heating and cooling systems inside the cabins also stopped working. To serve the rescue, about 40 operators tried to manually rotate the cabins to lower them, but the speed was very slow.

Firefighters and emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene. The last passengers were safely brought to the ground after more than 9 hours of being trapped in the cabin and suspended in the air.

This is the tallest Ferris wheel in Japan today (Photo: News).

Mr. Takeshi Niwa, Communications Director of the Ferris wheel operator, said the company is investigating the cause of the shutdown and reviewing its response procedures.

According to Mr. Niwa, the lightning strike likely caused the Ferris wheel’s commercial electrical system to malfunction, triggering an emergency stop. However, whether the Ferris wheel was directly struck by lightning is still being clarified.

The structure suffered significant damage and remains closed. There is no word on when the wheel might reopen.

Local authorities have confirmed that 20 tourists were trapped in the air and were rescued after several hours.

The Osaka Ferris Wheel is located in the Expocity shopping, movie theater, and entertainment district. It is advertised as the tallest Ferris wheel in Japan, located near the Tower of the Sun, which was the remaining symbol of the 1970 Japan World Exposition.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/set-danh-trung-vong-du-quay-20-khach-bi-lo-lung-tren-troi-suot-9-tieng-20251126230115962.htm