Two children rescued from 90m in air after Spanish slingshot ride cable snaps

What should have been a fun evening at a fair soon took a sudden turn for the worse for two young thrill-seekers in Spain after a fairground ride malfunctioned on April 24.

The incident, which took place during a week-long fair in Seville, left the children dangling more than 90m in the air on a slingshot ride named Steel Max, according to Spanish media reports.

In a slingshot ride, also sometimes known as a reverse bungee jump, the seats that riders are strapped to are usually part of a spherical structure, which is then tethered to the tops of two support poles via a metal or elastic cable on either side of the seats.

The structure is then pulled down and secured to the base of the ride for the riders to board. When the ride is activated and the tension is released, the riders are then propelled at speeds that can exceed 160kmh, “bouncing” in the air several times before the momentum ceases, and the riders are then brought back down.

In a video of the incident circulating on social media, the ride begins normally, with the riders being catapulted through the air.

However, after multiple “bounces”, the cable to the riders’ left appears to snap off the top of the pole, causing the seat structure to swing and slam into the opposite pole, with onlookers screaming as it happens.

The Seville Emergency Service Department said in a Facebook post that four people suffered mild injuries following the incident. They were treated on the spot, with the two people, who were on the ride, later being transferred to a health facility.

It added that the police are investigating the incident.

Spanish news outlet ABS Sevilla reported that the two riders were children – their ages were not reported – with the two other injured parties having been struck by a rope when the ride malfunctioned. Their identities are not known.

The Sun cited a Spanish emergency response spokesperson as saying that firefighters cordoned off the attraction after the accident that occurred at 8.20pm local time.

According to the official website of the Spanish region of Andalusia where Seville is located, the Seville Fair is typically held in April. The week-long fair, which dates 150 years, was originally a celebration of local agriculture, and now sees more than three million visitors yearly.