Safety failures cause fatal Sichuan tourist swing accident

A tourist died after falling from the Maliuyan waterfall swing in Xikou, Huaying city, Sichuan province, and investigators have attributed the accident to the operating company's safety failures and inadequate government oversight, according to a report released by the Huaying Municipal People's Government accident investigation team on Saturday.

The tourist was injured on May 3 while experiencing the attraction at the Maliuyan Adventure Park and later died after emergency treatment failed, the report said. The investigation team classified her death as a general production safety responsibility accident.

The report cited the operating company's failure to implement safety responsibilities, management gaps, failure to identify and control risks and its assignment of workers who had not passed safety education and training. Inadequate safety oversight and inspection gaps by local government and regulatory authorities also played a part, it said.

The direct cause of the accident was that the operator did not strictly follow the procedures and failed to correctly secure the release rope, according to the report. The release device on the sliding load structure opened early before the structure reached the normal release position, and the daisy chain separated from the release hook. With no effective fall protection in place, the tourist fell and struck the cliff by the waterfall.

Two people directly responsible for the accident have been transferred to judicial authorities. Public officials involved face disciplinary and supervisory action, while the company and other relevant personnel face administrative penalties under the law, the report said.