Crane Malfunctions At Kerala Sky-Dining Restaurant, Leaving Tourists Suspended Mid-Air

Four tourists, including two children, spent more than two terrifying hours suspended 150 feet above ground in a popular “sky-dining” restaurant near Anachal in the Idukki district after the hydraulic crane that hoists the dining platform malfunctioned on Friday afternoon. The open-air restaurant, marketed as a thrilling experience where guests are lifted to enjoy meals with panoramic views of the Western Ghats, suddenly stopped mid-air around 1:45 pm, leaving the family stranded with no immediate rescue plan.

Alarmingly, the restaurant management did not inform the fire and rescue services or police. Instead, staff attempted to fix the crane themselves while repeatedly assuring the trapped tourists that the issue would be resolved “in a few minutes.” It was only after local television channels broadcast the incident around 3:30 pm that the Munnar Fire and Rescue Station was alerted and dispatched a team. Firefighters reached the site shortly before 4 pm and safely lowered the platform using manual controls and backup mechanisms.

A senior fire official expressed outrage at the operator negligence: “The management never called us. We came to know only through news channels. This is a serious safety lapse. Had there been a medical emergency or panic attack, the consequences could have been disastrous.” The rescued family, hailing from Thrissur, was visibly shaken but unhurt. The children, aged 8 and 11, were given water and counselling on the spot.

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Sky-dining cranes, imported from Europe and increasingly popular in Kerala’s hill stations, are required to undergo rigorous safety certification and daily maintenance checks. Preliminary inspection revealed a hydraulic pressure failure, though investigators are probing whether routine servicing was skipped. District authorities have suspended operations at the facility pending a full safety audit and have warned other adventure tourism operators to strictly follow emergency protocols.

The incident has reignited concerns over the rapid proliferation of high-risk “experiential” tourism activities in Kerala’s ecologically sensitive zones, where profit often appears to outpace safety. Tourism Minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas has ordered an immediate statewide review of all crane-based attractions, while the Idukki district collector has directed police to register a case against the restaurant management for endangering lives.

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