A tragic incident occurred at China’s Macau Tower, one of the world’s highest commercial bungee jumps, when a Japanese tourist lost his life. The 56-year-old man, whose identity remains undisclosed, reportedly suffered from breathing difficulties after completing the 764-foot jump on Sunday afternoon. According to local news sources, by the time emergency services arrived, the man had ceased breathing and his heart had stopped.
The man was rushed to Conde S. Januário Hospital, but despite the best efforts of the medical team, they were unable to resuscitate him. The cause of death has not been immediately disclosed. Interestingly, the man did not sustain any visible injuries during the jump, which raises questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
The bungee jump at Macau Tower is operated by Skypark by AJ Hackett, a company that also manages several other tourist attractions at the location. The company has a policy requiring customers to disclose any existing medical conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, pregnancy, or previous surgeries, before participating in the jump.
The Macau Tower bungee jump, which opened to the public in 2006, is the second-highest of its kind in the world. The only higher commercial bungee jump is China’s Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge Bungee, which stands at 853 feet. The cost for thrill-seekers to experience the Macau Tower jump is approximately $360.
Skypark by AJ Hackett, which has been in operation for about 30 years, also runs bungee jumps in France, Singapore, and Australia. The company claims to have a “perfect safety record,” with its website stating that it has successfully conducted 4 million jumps.
However, this is not the first incident at the Macau Tower. In January 2018, a Russian tourist was left hanging 180 feet in the air after a bungee jump due to a backup safety system activating because of low temperatures.