A tragic accident at a renowned luxury resort in Bali resulted in the death of five employees on Friday. The incident occurred when the cable of the hotel’s elevator snapped, causing the elevator to plummet 300 feet into a ravine. The victims, two males and three females, were part of the housekeeping team at the Ayuterra Resort. They were in the elevator around 1 p.m. when the unfortunate event took place.
The deceased, all of whom were Indonesian citizens, were identified as Kadek Hardiyanti, 24, Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna, 19, Ni Luh Supernigsih, 20, I Wayan Aries Setiawan, 23, and Kadek Yanti Pradewi, 19. Two of the victims died on the spot due to the impact, while the other three passed away in the hospital due to their injuries.
Ubud Police Commissioner Made Uder, as cited by the Bali Sun, revealed that the elevator’s rope was not robust enough to support the weight, which led to the cable breaking. He further elaborated that the safety brake or wedge malfunctioned, causing the elevator to descend rapidly, making the accident inevitable.
In the aftermath of the incident, Bali’s deputy governor, Cok Ace, who also heads the Hotel and Restaurant Association Bali, examined the hotel’s safety documents. He observed that this was an unprecedented incident and that the permits, especially those pertaining to the use and safety of work and the condition of the lift, appeared to be in order.
The Bali police are currently investigating the cause of the cable break and the lack of a secondary safety mechanism to prevent the elevator from falling down the shaft. The lift, which is popular on Instagram, was used by both tourists and staff to move between the upper levels of the hotel and the facilities on the lower level.
During the investigation and mourning period, guests of the resort have been relocated. The resort’s owner, Linggawati Utomo, 60, has pledged to cover the funeral costs of the deceased. Additionally, he reportedly compensated the victims’ families with approximately $4,000 USD each to dissuade them from initiating legal action against the resort.