Observation wheel in Central back to normal operations

The Hong Kong Observation Wheel at the Central Harbourfront was back to normal operations on Friday after it malfunctioned yesterday, leaving 200 people trapped mid-air as the ride remained stationary for 40 minutes.

?The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said in a statement late yesterday that the operator is required to submit a report on the incident, with the department closely monitoring its operation.

Authorities were alerted of the incident just after 5 pm yesterday. According to the wheel's operator, the attraction had experienced a technical failure in its "secondary system", which triggered a temporary stoppage as part of safety procedures.

The company said operation resumed at 5.30 pm, and all 190 passengers disembarked safely 15 minutes later.

The attraction was shut down for the rest of Thursday evening to facilitate safety checks.