A day filled with fun at one of Hong Kong’s famous theme parks turned into a horrifying experience when 41 tourists were stuck in a viewing tower hanging over 70m above the ground.
The incident happened in the afternoon of 9th November 2026 at Ocean Park Tower, a revolving viewing ride in the Marine World section of Ocean Park. The 72m high ride suddenly stopped when it had people on board, thus leaving them stuck close to the peak where they could see the South China Sea.
As said by Ocean Park authorities, an undesirable signal was received at around 2.21 p.m. local time. The signal had resulted in the functioning of the safety system of the tower and had led to the ride being stopped without any activity of the travelers inside the ride.
Very soon the situation was reported to the police by 3.30 p.m. after the visited were found stuck inside the still cabin. The videos circulated in social media showed how the ride remained unmoved for quite a while.
Rescue teams and Ocean Park personnel swiftly initiated evacuation steps. The Hong Kong Fire Services Department stated that most guests were evacuated by staircase from the very beginning of the building.
However, not all of them could leave the building through the stairs because there was a lady with mobility problems who also felt bad and remained inside the tower.
Later on, firefighters had to perform a more difficult rescue operation. They should repel down from the rooftop with the rescue ropes to reach the lady and bring her down safely.
The rescue operation lasted until about 4:45 p.m.
It is worth mentioning that all 41 guests were safely evacuated from the building without any injuries, and the real reasons for the malfunctioning are still being investigated.
Safety Inspections Required by Hong Kong Authorities
Following the event, Hong Kong’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has mandated Ocean Park to carry out a complete exam of the ride and reassess its inspection and maintenance techniques.
Regulatory requirements are very precise: The park ride should undergo different stages of safety evaluation, which will be performed by certified professionals before the park is able to operate again. The ride will stay closed until EMSD provides the certification.
Moreover, Ocean park must prepare and submit an incident report, indicating what happened and what measures will be taken to avoid similar situations in the future.
As of Tuesday, November 10, three rides were closed temporarily: North Pole Encounter, Wild Twister, and Ocean Park Tower.
Ocean Park Tower – An Example of Technical Issues
The Ocean Park Tower is one of the most sought-after attractions at the relevant theme park. The structure was commissioned in 1992 and stands at 72 meters above the ground, rising about 200 meters above the water.
Even though Ocean Park’s Tower is said to be one of the tallest viewing platforms in Asia, it is not the first time it has experienced technical issues that lead to passengers stuck inside the cabin above the ground. For example, in May 2025, the system discovered an abnormal signal and disabled the ride after which the passengers spent more than two hours stuck in the cabin.
This time, the visitors who were on the tour during the unfortunate incident can hardly call this experience a positive one.
