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NEED TO KNOW
- A family of four were rescued by fire personnel in India after they were trapped in a “sky dining” restaurant for hours
- Fire and Rescue Services in the coastal state of Kerala were called to the tourist attraction on Friday, Nov. 28, after the family and one employee became trapped at a floating table
- Social media footage showed officials working to bring each of the trapped tourists down to the ground using safety harnesses and ropes
A family of four were rescued by fire personnel in India after they were trapped in a “sky dining” restaurant for hours.
According to the Hindu, the Telegraph India and Metro.co.uk, Fire and Rescue Services in the coastal state of Kerala were called to the tourist attraction at around 1:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 28, after the family of four and one employee became trapped at a floating table, which was suspended about 125 feet in the air by a crane.
The suspended table, which was overlooking the scenic village of Anachal in the state’s Idukki district, became stuck due to a hydraulic malfunction, the Hindu reported, and operators were unable to lower the crane.
The family of four, who were visiting from the town of Mangalapuram, were identified as Muhammed Safwan, 31, Thoufeena Safwan, 25, and their two children, one of whom is 2 years old. The staff member was identified as Haripriya, 28.
Video footage, shared on Facebook by Kerala Fire and Rescue Services and Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, showed officials working to bring each of the trapped tourists down to the ground using safety harnesses and ropes, as others stood underneath holding a net in place.
Metro reported that all five people were safely back on the ground by 4:30 p.m.
Pinarayi Vijayan/Facebook
According to the Hindu, the attraction is operated by Southern Skies Aerodynamic. Metro reported that the restaurant’s management allegedly failed to alert police and fire officials about the incident.
The company reportedly said that its staff are trained to deal with emergencies such as these, per Metro.
The Hindu reported that the restaurant allegedly was found to be operating without the required civic license, and the business has since been issued a stop memo.
According to the Telegraph, police filed a case against the operators of a sky-dining restaurant and filed charges of endangering human lives and partaking in an act that causes danger to public safety.
Kerala Fire And Rescue Services/Facebook
Southern Skies Aerodynamic did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“It is a relief that those who were trapped in the platform of Sky Dining Hydraulic Lift at Idukki Pallivasal were able to be brought safely down,” Chief Minister Vijayan wrote on Facebook.
“The fire and rescue forces of Munnar station who participated in the rescue mission deserve special praise,” he added. “Congratulations to the fire force for making the mission that lasted hours successful.”
