Overview
- A 52-year-old employee was struck by a descending gondola on the 85-meter ‘Hangover’ freefall tower on Monday evening, was resuscitated at the site and later died in hospital.
- Munich police and the public prosecutor have opened a criminal inquiry and are asking witnesses and anyone with video of the incident to come forward to clarify how the man came to be inside the ride’s danger zone.
- The ride operator said it is cooperating with investigators while crisis-intervention teams offered support to nine staff members and other witnesses and no passengers were reported physically hurt.
- According to the Munich showmen’s association, a TÜV Süd inspection on Tuesday morning cleared the tower to resume operation but Gewerbeaufsichtsamt and the local building commission remain involved in ongoing checks.
- The accident follows other recent ride incidents at the Wiesn and could prompt tighter controls on worker access, inspection routines and festival safety procedures to prevent similar tragedies.