The Sky Cabin became stuck with 21 people, including seven children, onboard, 148 feet in the air at Knott’s Berry Farm according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
Sky Cabin at Knotts Berry Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm made several attempts to lower the attraction for 3 hours before calling fire officials. Fire officials were on scene around 5PM local time after Knotts Berry Farm. Officials attempted to use a gravitational system to slowly lower the ride, but that was unsuccessful. Officials also attempted to use a cherry picker but that also proved to be unsuccessful as the cherry picker was too short to reach the cabin.
Fire crews opted to use a rope and harness system to lower each passenger one-by-one. Fire crews do train for these types of rescues and use equipment that includes rope that have about 10,000 pounds of breaking strength. All the guests and the ride operator that was stuck inside the capsule were affixed to a harness onto each one of them and then lowered to the ground one-by-one.
Women and Children were rescued first with rescue efforts starting around 7:30pm. As rescue efforts began, the officials were asked by the Knott’s Berry Farm’s public relations team to stop giving information to the public.
All 20 passengers and the sole ride operator were brought to the ground safely shortly before 10 p.m., according to Knott’s Berry Farm representatives. Knotts Berry Farm said in a statement that the “Sky Cabin will remain closed until the park’s investigation into the cause of the incident is completed,”
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