Terrifying sky-dining malfunction in Kerala leaves family dangling on Southern Skies Aerodynamics platform

A family’s sky-high dinner turned into a harrowing ordeal after a mechanical failure left them dangling 45 meters above the ground at a popular sky-dining attraction in India.

The family of four — including two young children — were rescued on Friday after a crane fault abruptly froze the suspended dining platform mid-air in Kerala.

They remained stranded for more than two hours.

Muhammed Safwan, 31, his wife, Thoufeena, 25, and their children had travelled from Kozhikode for the experience.

Fire and rescue crews from Munnar and Adimali arrived about 4pm, scaling ropes to reach the stalled structure.

Under the guidance of emergency workers, the family were forced to make the nerve-shredding descent down the ropes. The children and Thoufeena were brought down first, followed by Safwan and 28-year-old restaurant employee Haripriya. All were safely on the ground by 4.30pm.

A local news organisation, South First, shared footage of the terrifying rescue.

Rescuers placed a safety net beneath the crane as a precaution during the operation.

Authorities later confirmed a suspected hydraulic failure in the crane caused the sudden breakdown.

Witnesses told local outlets the group had been stuck since 1.30pm, with residents eventually alerting authorities after management failed to call for help.

A staff member insisted there was no panic on the platform, saying “staff are trained for such emergencies.”

The sky-dining venture, launched by Southern Skies Aerodynamics, is part of the region’s adventure-tourism push, offering panoramic meals high above the hill district.

Devikulam Subcollector VM Arya said the operation had no official guidelines governing such facilities.

A report has been sought from a village officer who raised concerns about the frightening incident.