Tourist Dies After Falling From 'Giant Swing' Attraction in Southwest China, Operators Detained

A tourist died after plunging from a high-altitude swing ride at a scenic area in southwest China’s Sichuan Province earlier this month, with investigators saying the accident was caused by the premature release of a safety mechanism before the rider reached a secure position, China Central Television reported today.

The fatal accident occurred on May 3 at the Maliuyan Waterfall Scenic Area in the city of Huaying during the operation of a ride known as the “giant swing.”

Authorities said the attraction’s operator, Chongqing Tanxianying Outdoor Development Co, has been ordered to suspend operations for rectification. Personnel deemed responsible for the accident have been placed under criminal coercive measures.

The scenic area is closed and all rides have been suspended.

Local officials said riders are normally secured with safety gear before being transported along a roughly 10-meter guide rail to a designated release point suspended away from the cliff face. Once reaching the safe position, the main and backup release hooks are detached, allowing the rider to swing outward over the valley.

But investigators said the release switch was triggered too early on the day of the accident, before the rider reached the designated safe point.

“Because the release switch was loosened in advance before reaching the safe position, the accident happened,” Wang Anquan, an official with Huaying’s emergency management bureau, told state media. He said the victim fell directly onto a protruding rock wall near the waterfall.

A male tourist who said he was standing directly behind the victim in line told China Newsweek that widely circulated online footage had been misunderstood. In the video, someone can be heard shouting “It’s not secured!” moments before the fall.

The witness said the comment was made jokingly by one of the victim’s friends rather than by the victim herself. The victim reportedly turned around and asked what was not secured, moments before the fall occurred. The friend was later overwhelmed with guilt and repeatedly cried after the accident, the witness said.

Authorities said the victim’s safety harness had in fact been properly fastened, and that the tragedy stemmed from operational failures rather than unsecured equipment.

Preliminary findings pointed to serious safety management problems by the operator, including inadequate safety training and failures to properly follow operational procedures.

Zhang Guoqiang, head of the Zhangjiajie Mountain Rescue Team, said China introduced national standards for cliff swings in 2024, placing such attractions under special equipment supervision.

He noted, however, that the Maliuyan ride did not fall under standard cliff swing specifications because it was built inside a canyon rather than extending safely away from a cliff edge.

“To pursue dramatic visuals and excitement, these kinds of designs cannot tolerate even the slightest mistake,” Zhang said. “Any small error could cause riders to strike the mountain wall or suffer a severe fall.”