What's It Like To Be Stuck On A Cable Car For 30 Minutes?

Illustration Photo by Paras Kapoor on Unsplash

JAKARTA - Around 18 people were detained in six cable car cabins for half an hour on the evening of Wednesday 27 July due to an operating system error.

The incident occurred on the Mount Faber Line cable car at 9:14 p.m. local time and the operating system had to be rebooted, a spokesman for operator Mount Faber Leisure Group said on Friday 29 July.

“However, before the system can be restarted, the cable car cabin must be returned to the nearest station for guests to disembark safely. An in-cabin announcement was made to notify guests of the temporary suspension," the spokesperson said.

“We are in constant communication with affected passengers via our in-cabin intercom and service hotline. Regular updates are provided for the entire duration to provide reassurance and ensure their safety and well-being."

The cabin return process was activated using a secondary system at 21:47, and all passengers disembarked at 22:55.

"All guests disembarked at the cable car station safely, without injury or medical problems, and our staff on the ground provided support to ensure their well-being," the spokesperson said, adding that the incident did not involve a mechanical fault.

The Mount Faber Line runs between stations at Mount Faber and Sentosa, with stations at HarbourFront in between. The system error has been corrected and normal operation on the line resumed on the morning of Thursday 28 July.

“After all passengers disembarked, our team restarted the system to resolve the operating system error. This is done in accordance with the cable car manufacturer's operating manual," the spokesperson said.

“The cable car service resumed normal operations the next morning after all necessary safety checks were completed.

The spokesman added that the Singapore Cable Car has security measures and a secondary system that allows for the safe restoration of services.

"We are also conducting regular maintenance and emergency preparedness exercises with the Singapore Civil Defense Force to validate operational plans and build resilience," the spokesperson said.