Canadian tourist dies after Thailand zipline wire snaps in Chiang Mai

[Nirish guy]

So, just in case any of us are visiting Chang Mai and feeling brave / young or fit enough to try it .......we can maybe give this particualr attraction a wide berth.

At least we can rest easy as we KNOW thanks to Thai immigration that it can't be our very own (and strangely very quiet of late) CDNMatt !

"A Canadian tourist has fallen more than 100m (330ft) to his death after his zipline cable snapped in northern Thailand. Authorities in Chiang Mai say the 25-year-old man was on holiday with his girlfriend and a group of friends. The cable gave way soon after he was released from the start of the zipline course on Saturday, local media report. The attraction, Flight of the Gibbon, has now reportedly been shut while police investigate."


Source
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-47936101

[arsenal]

No need to go to Chiang Mai. There's one at the open zoo about 35 kms from Pattaya.

[dinagam]

A reliable weighing scale should be made a part of the safety measures for the sport. He was obviously way overweight. But one cannot overlook the likelihood of fatigue fracture of the metallic components of the assembly contributing to the tragedy.

[gerefan2]

Pure speculation....any evidence?

[goji]

Pure speculation....any evidence?

That's what I was thinking.
The Daily Mail says police quoted his weight as 264lbs, which I think is 120kg and seriously over weight. Although, within the 125kg limit for the facility.

[Note: I don't normally read that trashy paper & it is just what google came up with]

[Jellybean]

The Chiang Rai Times reports the following:


Chiang Mai deputy governor Komsan Suwan-ampa said the body of Spencer Charles had been brought to Maharat Hospital, awaiting his father's arrival to take the body back to Canada.

CHIANG MAI – A 25 year-old Canadian tourist has died after falling to his death from a zipline at Flight of the Gibbon Zipline Company in Chiang Mai province on Saturday, according to a local media report.

Police said the Canadian tourist was riding a zip line at the Flight of the Gibbon rain forest adventure in Mae Kam Pong, when they believe his safety locks broke, causing him to fall 50 metres into a creek.

The tourist has been identified as Spencer Charles, 25, who traveled to Thailand with his girlfriend, where they stayed together at a lodging on Chang Khlan road in Chiang Mai city.

Initial reports said that shortly after the Canadian, who weighed about 125 kilograms, was released from the start of the zipline, the cable disconnected and the man fell to his death into a rocky creek below.

Police report that the safety locks broke shortly after 25 year-old Spencer Charles Canadian took off from the launching position.

Police said an investigation was underway to establish the actual cause of the accident and that the zipline operator had accepted full responsibility for what happened.

Later on Saturday, Chiang Mai deputy governor Komsan Suwan-ampa said the body of the Canadian tourist had been brought to Maharat Hospital, awaiting his father’s arrival to take the body back to Canada.

The case against the zipline operator is being handled by tourist police and the director of the tourism and sports office in Chiang Mai.

He said Pol Maj Sakarin Wiratkasem, a Mae-on police investigator, had informed the Canadian Consulate in Chiang Mai of the accident and asked it to contact the dead man’s relatives, who are expected to arrive on Sunday.

“Flight of Gibbon” has had a history of accidents. On July 13th, 2015, two zip line riders, one Chinese woman, Zi Lei, and an American woman, Lisa Sayre, violently collided with each other and lost consciousness.

Two accidents were reported in 2012, one involving a woman from Bangkok who suffered a broken hip and the other a Taiwanese businessman, Parry Lin, also suffered broken ribs.

In 2016, “Flight of Gibbon” was temporarily closed by officials following an accident involving three Israeli tourists.

Source: https://www.chiangraitimes.com/25-year-old-canadian-falls-to-his-death-from-zipline-in-chiang-mai-thailand.html

[Smiles]

This could be the nail in the coffin for the Flight-of-the-Gibbon. :eek:

I'm quite the wuss when it comes to heights. My balls tend to attempt climbing up to my eyes when overlooking more than two stories of anything. This Canuck ain't no Gibbon.

[Nirish guy]

My balls tend to attempt climbing up to my eyes when overlooking more than two stories of anything. .

Not being funny but apparently that is 100% an age thing, I ( like the rest of us Im guessing) used to be fearless of heights and just didn't think about it, now it's the opposite and I found myself almost taking a genuine panic attack when I'd climbed a fairly high ladder in work the other day and my body literally froze when I'd reached the top and I really had to take a long minute or two just to breath and calm myself down again so I could gently ease myself back down again a slow inch at a time and holding on for dear life.

I'd mentioned this to a doctor friend in passing in conversation and he explained it was very common and a normal part of the ageing process ( cheeky bastard !) and that it's our brains creating fear reactions in our bodies specifically to STOP us doing "dangerous" things like climbing ladders etc where we may fall off and hurt ourselves. Which I guess is fine but it might have been nice if my body had told itself that BEFORE I was 35 foot in the air and standing there like a scared lemon with my staff yelling at me to hurry the fuck up as they'd work to do!

[dinagam]

Cats. They are good climbers, but look down in trepidation.

[Moses]

I have experience with Flight of Gibbon in Bangkok area (Siaracha). It was very positive and adrenaline adventure +++

Regarding this case with Canadian: in safety rules of FoG is clearly stated what they serve tourists up to 110 kg. I wonder why this Canadian was allowed to take a tour. By the way: zip-lines in BKK and CM were installed and maintained by AU company.

[Surfcrest]

I recall those old "Flight of the Gibbon" threads and the heated debates between those who thought it was safe and those that didn't.

It looks like we finally have an answer on whether it was....or was not.

Surfcrest

[arsenal]

Smiles wrote.
"This could be the nail in the coffin for the Flight-of-the-Gibbon."

Well Flight of the Gibbon was the nail in the coffin of the gibbons because as soon as they were built they all took flight.

Flight of the Sea Eagle (my description) is available from Jomtien Tower but even the cable car is terrifying.

[Smiles]

Not being funny but apparently that is 100% an age thing,Not a good hypothesis.... I've have that affliction most of my life. Just ask may balls

[sglad]

Cats. They are good climbers, but look down in trepidation.

Typical pussies.

[sglad]

This Canuck ain't no Gibbon.

No, Smiles? But you speak perfect Gibberish!

[BonTong]

The Chiang Rai Times reports the following:


Source: https://www.chiangraitimes.com/25-year-old-canadian-falls-to-his-death-from-zipline-in-chiang-mai-thailand.html

The article refers to several other incidents at "Flight of the Gibbon". However, if my memory serves me correctly (and it may not....) some or all of these other accidents actually occurred at copy-cat zipline sites which sprung up in the hills around Chiang Mai trying to imitate the perceived success of Flight of the Gibbon. I'll leave others to join the dots on the implications :eek: . Not that it changes anything for the poor Canadian chap and his family. R.I.P.

[Brad the Impala]

I recall those old "Flight of the Gibbon" threads and the heated debates between those who thought it was safe and those that didn't.

It looks like we finally have an answer on whether it was....or was not.

Surfcrest

Indeed that debate turned into quite a spat! As I recall Gone Fisting revealed himself as an expert on the topic, as on so many others.