16 People Trapped For Hours On San Diego SeaWorld Ride Thanks To A Gust Of Wind

16 people have been rescued from the Bayside Skyride gondola ride at SeaWorld San Diego after they became trapped there due to a gust of wind somehow tripping a circuit breaker, according to San Diego Fire Department.

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Five gondolas on the ride, which takes passengers out over San Diego’s Mission Bay, were stuck for several hours at a height of approximately 25 metres above the bay as firefighters worked to rescue them. According to CBS, passengers included an infant and a recent stroke victim suffering from partial paralysis.

Firefighter crews told CBS that each passenger was individually hoisted down from the gondolas in harnesses, with everyone safely removed by 11:30pm Monday night local time.

In a statement, SeaWorld said they had been in contact with the passengers while the evacuation took place, and that the passengers had access to blankets:

Guest safety is paramount. Due to an unusual gust of significant wind, the operations of the Bayside Skyride stopped. A number of guests are currently on the Skyride seated in 5 gondolas. We are currently working with San Diego Fire & Rescue and the San Diego Lifeguards to evacuate the guests from the ride. We practice emergency evacuation procedures with local first responders annually. We are in contact with the guests via intercom, and they have been made aware of the evacuation procedures.

There are also blankets on board each gondola. Evacuations will be conducted in accordance with the highest safety standards. All the guests are currently safe while awaiting evacuation. Guest safety is our top priority. Once our guests are cared for, we will conduct a thorough inspection of the ride prior to re-opening. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused the guests.

No injuries were reported among the people rescued from the gondolas, although one of those aboard did tell NBC that they will NOT be coming back to SeaWorld.

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