On the hottest day of the year, a popular ride malfunctioned, leaving tourists trapped in its glass pods amid sweltering heat.
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The London Eye came to a standstill on Thursday as temperatures in the capital soared to 82 degrees, marking the hottest start to May in London ever recorded, according to the Met Office, per Metro.
Back in March, the iconic ride celebrated its 25th year in operation.
According to the outlet, the gargantuan Ferris wheel came to a stop just 40 minutes after initially halting operations. Footage captured an announcement made at one of London’s top tourist attractions, informing visitors that engineers were on-site. The incident occurred around 3:45 PM local time on May 1.
A crowd gathered in the sweltering heat, eager to board the iconic ride. Though the attraction briefly resumed operation, offering full air conditioning to provide relief for tourists and sightseers, it soon broke down again.
An Eyewitness Recounts Amusement Ride Breaking Down as ‘Quite Scary’
Metro news reporter Jen Mills and her family found themselves stranded inside one of the capsules when the wheel suddenly came to a halt.
“It got really hot and my son started sweating and crying,” Mills told the outlet. “I got scared, too. When you are at the top, it is quite scary,” she admitted.
The capsule grew unbearably hot as it inched forward a few feet, only to come to a halt once more.
Meanwhile, the London Eye took to X to weigh in on the breakdown.
“Earlier today, the London Eye temporarily paused to investigate a minor technical issue,” the X post began. “Our team were able to quickly resolve the issue, resulting in a short 10-minute delay to boarding, after which we resumed operating as usual. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
The attraction is now fully operational, welcoming tourists aboard. However, reports indicate a growing line as dozens of visitors face delays entering their pods.