- Visitors had reportedly raised concerns about the bridge’s safety since April
A tourist has been killed and three injured after a glass walkway at a popular beauty spot in Indonesia shattered.
Tragedy struck when 11 tourists from Cilacep, Central Java, crossed the Geong Bridge, about 10 meters above the forest floor, around 10am on Wednesday.
Two fell through the glass into the Limpakuwus pine forest below, where one was later pronounced dead. The other suffered minor injuries.
Two others were thrown by the sudden collapse and managed to cling to the frame, as video footage showed brave onlookers helping from the bridge.
Police are now investigating the incident and have set up a crime scene after the attraction’s management overlooked complaints about the safety of the bridge.
People rushed to pick up a tourist who appeared to have fallen through the shattered glass
A nearby video shows a tourist struggling to climb back up immediately after the glass walkway shattered earlier this week.
The camera refocuses and shows the body of another unnamed tourist below, who has fallen through the glass.
Above, onlookers rush to help the trapped tourist before helping him off the bridge.
Out of sight, ten tourists fortunately managed to escape, with only three sustaining minor injuries.
Ekop Purnomo, chairman of the Limpakuwus Pine Forest Cooperative, was revealed having contacted the manager of The Geong in April when the bridge opened, requesting a safety review.
He said he approached the manager of The Geong after receiving complaints on social media, expressing concerns about the safety of the bridge.
Purnomo claimed that as many as five percent of visitors shared complaints online.
He added that the bridge’s manager chose not to attend the meeting to review the standards, sending a representative instead.
‘There was no discussion. We just left a message,” he said Wednesday.
Purnomo agreed to close the forest – which is managed separately from the bridge – at the request of local police while the investigation continues.
Suranta Sitepu confirmed the victims on Wednesday.
Brave onlookers help a stranded tourist to safety after the Geong Bridge shattered in Indonesia
One tourist tragically died after glass shattered as 11 crossed on Wednesday, October 25
In 2021, a tourist was left hanging on for dear life after the glass panels of a 100-meter-high bridge in China were damaged by high winds.
The glass-bottom bridge is located in a resort built into Piyan Mountain in the Chinese city of Longjing.
A terrifying image reportedly showed a man clinging to the railing after winds of up to 90mph blew away some of the glass panels on Friday.
According to a report in the Straits Times, the man was briefly trapped on the bridge.
He crawled to safety, escorted by firefighters, police and forestry and tourism workers.