Idukki sky-dining mishap: Tourists rescued after over 2 hours; incident raises safety questions

Five people, including two children and a staffer, were left hanging 150 feet above ground after a crane malfunction halted a sky-dining experience near Anachal on Friday, triggering a two-hour rescue operation that raised serious questions over safety and official oversight.

What happened at the sky-dining site

Five individuals — a family of four including two children, and a restaurant staff member — were stranded when the crane lifting the sky-dining platform suddenly malfunctioned. The group remained suspended for more than two hours.

Television visuals showed rescue personnel climbing ropes to reach the platform. Fire and rescue teams arrived around 4 pm after learning about the incident from news reports and safely rescued all five.

The two children and a woman were brought down first, followed by the father and the staffer. By about 4.30 pm, the entire group had been evacuated.

Where the incident took place

The ‘sky-dining’ set-up, part of an adventure tourism initiative near Anachal in Idukki, was launched recently. Diners are lifted about 120 feet above ground using a crane, spending more than half an hour in the air. The structure can accommodate up to 15 people and offers aerial views of the hill district.

The lift mechanism relies on the crane, but a technical fault in its hydraulics prevented the platform from being lowered. Efforts were briefly made to pull the visitors out using ropes. Although the platform had safety equipment including ropes and seat belts, the presence of children heightened local concern.

How authorities responded

A fire official said the restaurant management did not seek assistance from the fire and rescue services. Units from Munnar and Adimali were dispatched only after news of the incident surfaced.

Police said the management also failed to inform them, and that residents alerted authorities. Locals reported that the tourists had been stuck since around 1.30 pm.

Why safety concerns have intensified

A staff member told TV channels that “there was no panic” as they had been trained for such situations.

According to reports, the restaurant did not have panchayat approval for operating the sky-dining service. It is alleged that no adequate safety measures were in place, including the presence of a technician to handle malfunctions. 

Questions have also been raised about official laxity and alleged political clout that allowed the facility to operate without proper checks.