Wiesn Accident Freefall Tower: Employee in Life-Threatening Danger

Investigations by police and TÜV

The criminal police have taken over the investigation into the cause of the accident. TÜV was also called in to carry out a technical inspection of the Freefall Tower. As things stand, the ride will remain shut down until the results are available.

Scharpf expressed dismay over the incident. "Dieser schreckliche Unfall hat uns ins Bewusstsein gerufen, wie nah Freude und Leid beieinander liegen können", he said according to BR24. He thanked the emergency services for their rapid response.

Reactions from those responsible

According to the news agency APA, the victim is an employee of the ride, not a visitor to the folk festival. The man's identity was not initially made public.

There are no reliable findings so far regarding possible technical defects or misconduct by staff. Police pointed out that the investigations were only at the beginning. Witnesses to the accident are being questioned, and video footage is also being evaluated.

According to information from BR24, the Freefall Tower is among the taller and faster rides at the Wiesn. The folk festival's website points out safety regulations and regular technical inspections.

Impact on Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest has been running since mid-September and continues until the beginning of October. Whether and how the incident will affect the further operation of individual rides is currently unclear according to the city. For now, the focus is on the injured man's state of health.

Safety issues at folk festivals have been a recurring topic in Munich for years. Following more serious accidents in earlier years, inspections of rides were intensified. The current case is now being examined both under criminal law and under trade supervisory law.