London Eye Stalled with Emergency Door Torn Open by Strong Winds... '5 Minutes of Terror' at 135m Above Ground

Emergency Exit Door Torn Off from Ceiling in Public Space, Stopped for 5 Minutes
Fortunately, No Safety Accident Occurred

The London Eye, a famous giant Ferris wheel in London, England, stopped for five minutes with its ceiling emergency door torn open in mid-air due to strong winds, causing tourists to panic. On the 3rd (local time), BBC and Sky News reported that 11 tourists who rode the London Eye the previous day were gripped by fear when it stopped.

On that day, a storm swept across the UK, bringing strong winds of up to 70 mph (112 km/h) to London. Among those on the London Eye were 11 people, including the family of David Noke from southern England. However, the London Eye was different from usual due to the worsening weather. Noke, who was on board, said the cabin repeatedly stopped and started again as it ascended because of the wind.

The London Eye, which began operation in 2000, is a giant Ferris wheel with a maximum height of 135 meters. It has 32 capsule-shaped passenger cars, each capable of holding up to 25 people, attached to a wheel-shaped structure that rotates.
[Photo by AFP·Yonhap News]

He said, "The wind started blowing fiercely, and the emergency door on the ceiling was torn off with a loud noise. We were directly exposed to the outside environment and were very tense." He added, "At one point, the entire London Eye swayed, and on the way down, it repeatedly stopped and started again. I noticed the emergency door getting caught inside the machinery and pressed the emergency bell," explaining the situation at the time.

The London Eye authorities stated, "It was temporarily closed due to severe weather," and added, "This issue was an isolated technical problem; no parts of the main structure detached, and no one was injured." Fortunately, Mr. Nohk and the other passengers in the affected cabin safely reached the ground.
[Photo by MBC News]

The London Eye officials stated, "We temporarily closed due to severe weather," and added, "This incident was an isolated technical issue; no parts detached from the main structure, and no one was injured." Fortunately, the passengers in the affected cabin, including Noke and his group, safely reached the ground. Noke said, "We were right in front of the storm. It was a terrible experience."

Meanwhile, the London Eye, which began operation in 2000, is a giant Ferris wheel with a maximum height of 135 meters. It has 32 capsule-shaped cabins attached to a wheel-shaped structure, each capable of carrying up to 25 people. The London Eye is designed to operate safely under almost all conditions. However, it does not operate for safety reasons when weather conditions are poor. It was also closed last February when Typhoon Eunice brought winds of 100 mph (160 km/h).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.