The waterfall swing attraction at the Maliuyan Adventure Park in the city of Huaying, Southwest China's Sichuan Province Photo: CCTV

The tragic accident at the Maliuyan Adventure Park in the city of Huaying, Southwest China's Sichuan Province on May 3, which killed a tourist on the waterfall swing attraction, was caused by the premature release of the safety switch, according to the latest results released by China Central Television (CCTV) Sunday. 

The tragedy occurred when the female tourist surnamed Liu fell from a great height while experiencing the waterfall swing. The fall resulted in her striking the cliff face, and she later succumbed to her injuries while being transported to a hospital, previous reports showed.

"Normally, the safety mechanism is released only after the swing has reached a point where the rope can carry the tourist away naturally," Wang Anquan, an official from the Huaying Emergency Management Bureau, told CCTV. 

"But in this case, it was released too early… before the load-bearing pulley was in a safe position. The rope had been properly tightened, but the premature release of the switch caused the fatal fall," Wang said.

A CCTV reporter at the scene saw a square building on the mountaintop, which was confirmed to be the control platform for the swing. Next to it, a 130-meter steel ladder hangs straight down the cliff. Tourists must climb this ladder to reach the top.

The reporter obtained from on-site staff a testing report dated January 12, 2026. Based on eight national standards, the report examined the project's raw materials and sub-items. It concluded that, provided the operating procedures and safety instructions are strictly followed, the attraction can be operated safely. The test is valid for one year.

Notably, while this 30-page report details the testing objectives, methods and conclusions, it does not mention any fail-safe design for cases of operational error or measures to ensure emergency rescue capabilities, according to CCTV report. 

China's Work Safety Law stipulates that companies shall provide work safety education and training to their employees, enabling them to master the safety operation skills required for their posts and understand emergency response measures. However, relevant authorities discovered that the operator of the attraction, Chongqing Adventure Camp Outdoor Expansion Co Ltd, had not conducted any such training.

The involved enterprise has been ordered to suspend operations for rectification, and personnel found responsible for the accident have been taken into criminal compulsory measures in accordance with the law, the CCTV report said. 

According to CCTV, no national safety technical standard currently exists for the waterfall swing attraction. To date, only the safety technical requirements for cliff swings has been released in China.

But the waterfall swing and the cliff swing are not the same. The waterfall swing has no domestic standard — its concept originated in New Zealand. Its extreme thrill factor far exceeds ordinary amusement rides and borders on extreme sports. Overseas, such attractions are typically classified as high-risk commercial "adventure activities."

The CCTC report said that this stands in fundamental contrast to China's amusement facility management philosophy, which emphasizes "thrills without real danger." Consequently, such high-risk outdoor activities are not suitable for approval or regulation as amusement rides.

The park has been closed for rectification, and further investigations into responsible institutions and personnel are under way in accordance with the law.

Global Times