5 hotel employees killed in 100-metre elevator plunge at Bali resort

A tragic incident has shaken Bali as authorities launch an investigation into a lift malfunction that claimed the lives of five hotel employees at the Ayuterra Resort in Ubud.

What happened

• The accident occurred around 1 pm on Friday. The Instagram-famous inclined lift cable suddenly snapped, resulting in a horrifying 100-metre plunge down a steep hillside ravine for the three women and two men on board.
• All five individuals, who were part of the hotel's housekeeping team, have been identified as Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna (19), Wayan Aries Setiawan (23), Ni Luh Superningsih (20), Kadek Hardiyanti (24), and Kadek Yanti Pradewi (19).
• While two lost their lives at the scene, the remaining three succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

The accident

• Dramatic surveillance footage captures the cable-driven lift hurtling down the precipitous track, serving as a vital link between the upper reaches of the hotel and the facilities nestled farther down the cliffside.

• A cook employed at the hotel, Ketut Suwiarta, recounted his horrifying experience to local media.

• He narrated hearing the chilling screams of his five coworkers as they boarded the lift, followed by the bone-chilling crash that echoed through the air.

• His immediate response was to rush to the aid of the injured and urgently notify emergency services.

In the wake of this catastrophic event, Balinese authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident.

"The steel swing rope was not strong enough to pull the weight upwards, which was quite heavy, and the safety wedge or brake did not function, so the elevator slid downwards at high speed... As a result, the five elevator passengers died," Ubud's police chief, Made Uder, told The Guardian on Monday.

The ill-fated lift appeared to lack an emergency brake mechanism, intensifying the tragic circumstances.

In a compassionate gesture, the owner of Ayuterra Resort has offered to cover funeral expenses for the victims and provide compensation to their grieving families.

However, this financial support, amounting to approximately $4,000 (INR 3 lakh approx) per family, comes with a stipulation: the families must refrain from pursuing legal action against the resort, according to reports from News Corp.

All resort guests have been relocated to alternative accommodations while the investigation is in progress.