A window cleaner in Indonesia died on March 2 after being thrown from his gondola by strong winds, swinging helplessly like a pendulum and repeatedly smashing against a skyscraper's facade for 15 minutes before rescuers could reach him.
The 51-year-old worker and a colleague were on separate gondolas carrying out glass reinforcement work around the 26th floor of a building in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, when a sudden violent storm hit.
While his colleague managed to descend safely, strong winds sent the victim's gondola out of control. Though his safety harness prevented him from plunging to the ground, he was flung out of the gondola and suspended mid-air, violently battered against the concrete exterior multiple times over a quarter-hour.
When rescuers finally pulled him inside, he was already unconscious and later pronounced dead. His injured colleague was rushed to hospital. Both workers were reportedly wearing proper safety equipment. Authorities are investigating the incident.
