20 Passengers Stranded Midair for 9 Hours After Lightning Halts Osaka Ferris Wheel

Rescue Operations with Ladder Trucks
No Injuries Reported Among 20 Passengers

A Ferris wheel in Osaka, Japan, was struck by lightning and stopped, leaving dozens of passengers stranded for up to nine hours.

According to Kyodo News, at around 5:47 p.m. on November 25, the “Osaka Wheel” Ferris wheel at Expo City in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, came to a halt during operation due to a power outage caused by a lightning strike. As a result, 20 passengers in their teens to thirties were trapped inside gondolas.

20 Passengers Stranded Midair for 9 Hours After Lightning Halts Osaka Ferris Wheel
The Ferris wheel in Osaka, Japan, “Osaka Wheel.” Official website of Expo City

In the initial stages of the incident, staff members of the operating company manually controlled the Ferris wheel to allow passengers to disembark one by one. However, due to the slow pace of the operation, firefighters and paramedics were eventually dispatched to the scene. They carried out rescue operations using ladder trucks, and it was not until nearly 3 a.m. the following day-about nine hours after the accident-that the last passenger was rescued. Some of the rescued passengers complained of hypothermia, but no injuries were reported.

The cause of the accident is believed to be a malfunction in the Ferris wheel’s main power supply unit due to the lightning strike. The operating company stated, “Although power was restored shortly after the outage, the system controlling the Ferris wheel malfunctioned, which resulted in a prolonged rescue operation.” The company added, “We are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident and are reviewing future response procedures.” While it has not been confirmed whether the Ferris wheel itself was directly struck by lightning, the facility sustained significant damage, and operations remained suspended the following day. The date for resuming operations has not been announced.

The “Osaka Wheel,” which opened in 2016, stands 123 meters tall and takes 18 minutes to complete one rotation. Installed within Expo City, an entertainment complex in Suita, it is the tallest Ferris wheel in Japan. The facility features transparent floors, giving riders the thrill of feeling as if they are floating in the air, and offers panoramic views of landmarks such as the Tower of the Sun and the streets of Osaka, making it popular among tourists, including visitors from Korea.