SeaWorld Orlando’s ‘SkyTower’ ride is currently closed after guests spent a nervous few hours suspended in the air on Monday when it malfunctioned.
All 50 riders and two SeaWorld staff members were trapped for ‘less than three hours’ about a quarter of the way up the 400 feet high ride, Seaworld said.
"We are glad they are all safe and sound," the company said in a statement.
"It was going down and started jerking and apparently the emergency brake locked up," said one customer.
After SeaWorld engineers and firefighters were hoisted up to assess the problem, the capsule was slowly lowered to the ground and all riders were able to exit.
SkyTower, described by the company as ‘retro cool,’ dates back to 1973 and offers bird’s eye views of the park and surrounding area.
It remains closed while technicians assess the cause of the breakdown.
The irony was not lost on many netizens who took to social media with anti SeaWorld posts.
"Killer Whales are wondering how people trapped on ride at SeaWorld are liking captivity. #Blackfish," Ron White tweeted.
In another dose of bad news yesterday, a killer whale at SeaWorld’s San Antonio park died from fungal infection of the bladder.
Out of respect the park has cancelled all orca shows today.
