Tourists Trapped in Elevated Dining Venue in Kerala Saved

On Friday, four tourists, including two children, found themselves stranded approximately 150 feet above the ground near Anachal due to a malfunction in the crane that was lifting a ‘sky-dining’ restaurant. The group remained stuck for more than two hours until fire and rescue personnel arrived at the scene around 4 PM after being informed about the situation through news reports. Fortunately, the rescue team successfully brought the four-member family to safety.

Television footage depicted personnel using ropes to access the restaurant.

The mother and the two children were rescued first, followed by the father and a female staff member. By 4 PM, all four tourists along with the staff member had been safely evacuated.

#WATCH | Munnar, Kerala | Tourists were stranded at a private sky dining setup in Anachal, Idukki, due to a technical failure in the crane; Rescue operation in progress

The incident occurred near Munnar, leaving tourists and staff stuck for over 1.5 hours. Rescue efforts… pic.twitter.com/Pciz0CoLxB

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2025

The staff member shared with TV channels that there was no panic, as they had been trained to manage such emergencies. She mentioned that the family was from Kozhikode.

Also read | India’s tourism sector is projected to grow by 20% CAGR, says Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

A fire official indicated that the restaurant’s management had not requested help from the fire and rescue service, but units from Munnar and Adimali were deployed after the incident came to public attention.

An officer from the Adimali police station noted that the management also failed to notify the police, with local residents being the ones to alert the authorities.

Locals reported that the tourists had been stranded since around 1:30 PM.

The official added that the crane’s hydraulics seemed to have malfunctioned, leaving the restaurant suspended over a hundred feet in the air.

The ‘sky-dining’ experience is part of the adventure tourism initiative in the hilly region, the official highlighted.

Also read | Delhi is set to launch hot air balloon rides soon: Find out the launch date and pricing