A Ferris wheel in Hong Kong’s Central district has resumed operations following a system failure that left 190 people trapped on Thursday night.
The Hong Kong Observation Wheel said in a statement on Thursday evening that a backup system failure left 190 people trapped on the ride for about 40 minutes. They were all evacuated from the wheel safely at 5:45 pm.
The Hong Kong Observation Wheel on February 13, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
In a Friday update, the operator said all safety checks had been completed, and operations resumed from 11 am: “Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused and we look forward to welcoming you all.”
The Hong Kong Observation Wheel is part of the AIA Vitality Park on the Central harbourfront.
Incident report ordered
In a statement issued Thursday night, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said it had investigated the incident: “The preliminary findings revealed that the failure of the backup system of the observation wheel has triggered the safety system to suspend the observation wheel.”
The department was notified of the suspension at 5.26 pm on Thursday, after which EMSD officers arrived at the scene to conduct an on-site inspection. No injuries were reported.
A notice on the Hong Kong Observation Wheel’s homepage, on December 6, 2024. Photo: Screenshot via Hong Kong Observation Wheel.
“The operator followed the operation procedures to restart the observation wheel and release the passengers. All passengers were safely evacuated at 5.48pm, and no passengers were injured in the incident,” the statement read.
“For safety’s sake, the EMSD has requested the Hong Kong Observation Wheel to conduct a detailed inspection and reopen it only after confirming safety by the competent person of the amusement ride.”
The department has also required the operator of the observation wheel to submit a report on the incident.
