A male tourist in central China narrowly escaped likely death when he reached the end of a gap bridge just as his safety harness broke off.
The incident took place on Monday at the Wansheng Ordovician Theme Park, a thrill-seeker’s paradise 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Chongqing.
In the video, the tourist is seen hopping on individual planks that make up the cliffside bridge 150 meters above the ground.
To his surprise, the tourist found his safety rope detached just as he reached the last plank.
The video quickly drew alarm on Chinese social media, with many calling to shut the theme park down.
Following an investigation, officials from the Wansheng Economic Development Zone announced Thursday that the terrifying mishap was caused by an error on a staff member’s part.
As a result, the attraction, known as “Extreme Leap,” was closed until further notice.
Interestingly, a theme park spokesperson claimed that the video was nothing but a marketing stunt by a private enterprise.
Aside from “Extreme Leap,” the park is known for its high-altitude, adrenaline-pumping attractions, including a triangular glass-bottomed bridge that extends 80 meters from the base and a bunch of cliffside swings that dangle riders 300 meters above the ground.
There are no safety nets reported in any of the attractions.
“If someone had died in the video, what would they call it then?”
“This marketing tactic only successfully demonstrates that the activity is far too dangerous.”
“If it’s a marketing ploy, I hope it closes down soon.”
“It’s not marketing – it’s true. The [authorities at this] scenic area just want to hide the facts. The video is so clear – the safety cord really broke off. You must not go, you’d be risking your life.”
