The pig dangling from the power line Photo: Screenshot form media reports

A drone tasked with hoisting live pigs in Bazhong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, accidentally became entangled in power lines, cutting off electricity to a village for 10 hours. Local authorities are currently handling the incident, and the involved villager may face administrative penalties as well as liability for compensation for damaged power facilities.

A villager in Bazhong's Tiefu town hired a drone to transport his farm-raised pigs down the mountain in batches for slaughter, in order to make the process more convenient, The Paper reported. An accident occurred during the first attempt.

As it was still dark with poor visibility, the villager was operating the drone to carry a pig when the rope became entangled in high-voltage lines, leaving both the pig and the drone suspended in mid-air, according to the report.

The incident caused a short circuit, resulting in a 10-hour power outage in a village, according to the local power department, as cited in the report. Power was later restored after emergency repairs, the report said.

A staff member from the local power supply station said that the outage was caused by the pig-carrying drone coming into contact with high-voltage lines, leading to a short circuit and tripping. The power outage did not cause a widespread impact.

"Repair work included clearing entangled objects and replacing damaged lines, with repair costs nearing 10,000 yuan ($1,440)," the staff member added.

The local police station also confirmed the incident and said it is being handled, The Paper reported.

Preliminary investigations show that the involved villager is suspected of flying a drone in a no-fly zone and conducting an overloaded flight, said a local police officer, adding that investigation and evidence collection are still underway to determine whether his actions constitute a violation of the law. 

The police officer added that follow-up investigations are still in progress, and if the illegal acts are confirmed, the villager may face administrative penalties and be held liable for compensation for damaged power facilities.


Global Times