Accident at Tivoli world as attraction reportedly fails

UPDATE: LOCAL reports this morning suggest that five people were treated for whiplash with others suffering minor cuts and bruises, after the ride descended at a much faster speed than normal.

Conflicting information is still rife, but the majority suggests that a problem with the upper anchorage resulted in the machine losing grip at the top of its ascent, with an emergency brake having to be applied as it plummeted towards the ground.

The official line from the park is that there were no serious injuries and that people had already been extracted from the ride and were being treated by park staff by the time emergency services arrived.

An official report will apparently be published in due course, once Tivoli has ascertained the cause of the accident, while the Torre de Caida Libre will remain out of action until further notice.

A MAJOR incident occurred on the Torre de Caida Libre ride at Tivoli World theme park in Benalmadena on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 16.

Ambulances had departed by the time EWN arrived on the scene, but a number of police vehicles were still present around the back of the site, which remained open with hundreds of visitors inside after the drama unfolded.

Versions of events vary, but the most common story among employees was that the braking mechanism of the attraction, which slowly rises to a height of 60 metres before freefalling back to earth, failed, as one staff member said that “at least” fourteen people were involved in the accident, with “some” badly injured and others suffering panic attacks.

The attraction itself has been closed while an investigation is launched, with more details to follow as they become available.