ViralPressA teenager has been killed and three others have been injured after a pirate ship ride collapsed at a fairground in Indonesia.
15-year-old Taufik Mailano was on the ride along with friends Chandra (15), Refal Giat Setiawan (16) and Efan Khafis (16) when the incident occurred.
The pirate ship ride was situated at a fairground in a market in Central Java and it was set to have an official opening today (July 24), a survivor explained the group were trying the ride ahead of the scheduled public opening.
ViralPressThe four friends were sitting on the back row of the swinging ride but a few moments after the machine started moving an iron bar at the very back suddenly snapped off.
As a result, the metal carriage support on the back, which the boys were sitting on, plunged 30 feet to the ground, taking those on board with it.
Onlookers rushed to their aid and the teens were taken to the Islam Pekajangan hospital, however Mailano was tragically pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
The other three passengers are being treated for their injuries in hospital today.
ViralPressOfficials from Pekalongan Regional Police began investigations and brought the machine operator, Bany Mahardika, in for questioning this morning.
Mahardika reportedly claimed the teens were sitting on the ridge around the edge of the ship and not in the proper seats. He said he warned the passengers not to sit there but claimed they did not hear him over the ride’s loud music.
Heri Heriyanto, a member of Pekalongan Regional Police, commented:
After we have carried out deeper checks last night and today, we have made the operators suspects.
Heriyanto said Mahardika had been careless when operating the ride, adding:
Because of his mistake, people have died and he is now a suspect.
As well as detaining Mahardika, police collected evidence from the scene in the form of an iron pipe which was used for a diesel exhaust, two parts of the ride that broke off, two pieces of rubber and a bell.
The operator faces being charged with Article 359 of the Criminal Code and could face a maximum jail term of five years.
Earlier this month, two people were killed and dozens more injured after the Discovery pendulum ride at Kankaria Adventure Park in Ahmedabad, India snapped in half.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.