On August 26, a shocking incident occurred at the Happy Valley scenic area in Xiling Gorge, Yichang, Hubei Province, where a female tourist suddenly fell rapidly from a bungee jumping platform, hitting the river below, causing a splash of blood-stained water. Several tourists recorded the scene on their phones, and the video quickly went viral on various platforms, shocking the internet and trending on social media.
The on-site video shows a young female tourist falling from the platform, bouncing, falling again, then suddenly changing trajectory, hitting the railing, and ultimately falling into the water. There was blood on her thigh, and as staff pulled her out of the water, her cries could still be heard.
An eyewitness stated, “After she fell, there was no movement for a while, and everyone was shocked…”
According to a report by the Xiaoxiang Morning Post, an eyewitness named Xiao He disclosed that after the girl jumped, she naturally fell after the first bounce, but the cord suddenly broke at the connection point between the safety harness and the rope. The girl hit the railing and fell into the water.
The bungee jumping platform involved in the incident is 61 meters high, making it one of the highest bungee jumping activities in the country. The ticket price for adults is 230 yuan per person.
Reported by the Sanxiang City News, eyewitnesses described that the tourist initially fell normally after jumping from the bungee platform, bounced again, and then fell into the water, with “the fall height exceeding 40 meters and has been taken to the hospital for treatment.”
Photos from the scene showed obvious blood in the water. Staff carrying stretchers descended the mountain continuously. Later, the injured person was placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital for treatment.
Following the incident, there have been conflicting accounts regarding the cause of the accident, creating confusion.
A local merchant near the scenic area stated to the media, “There was indeed an incident where the visitor’s buckle was not securely fastened and she fell.” This statement points to either the responsibility of the operators or the visitor herself.
However, officers from the local police station stated, “The person is fine, the rope didn’t break, don’t believe everything you see online, it’s definitely exaggerated.” This statement contradicts the descriptions by eyewitnesses and the video evidence.
On the evening of August 26, Yiling Tourism issued a statement that around 1 pm on August 26, a visitor was injured while experiencing the bungee jumping activity at the Happy Valley scenic area in Xiling Gorge. The visitor had been taken to the hospital for treatment and is not in critical condition. Currently, the scenic area has suspended operations, and the cause of the accident is under investigation.
At 3 pm on August 26, the Happy Valley scenic area in Xiling Gorge issued a notice of closure for maintenance to conduct comprehensive equipment inspection and maintenance.
Blogger “Chen Yang’s Deep Thoughts” stated that the scenic area announced the closure for maintenance, claiming it is for a comprehensive equipment inspection and maintenance but denied any link to the accident, causing confusion.
Blogger “Tang Tao” expressed that the official report contradicts the evidence at the scene. Despite the scenic area stating that the female tourist is “not in critical condition,” the bloodstains left at the scene and the image of the person convulsing on the stretcher make the “minor injury” claim appear feeble. These contradictory statements reveal the arrogance in the crisis public relations of the scenic area. When the blood-stained scene clashes with the declaration of “no danger,” the public trust is crumbling. More alarmingly, the bungee jumping activity at the scenic area has been complained about for “aging equipment” several times, yet regulators have not taken it seriously.
The technical details are even more concerning: the bungee jumping platform involved is 61 meters high and utilizes a dual safety rope design that broke at the connection point. Industry experts pointed out that such professional equipment should undergo 100,000 impact tests, so why did it fail during normal use? Are daily maintenance records complete? Are there any fabrication in quality inspection reports?
An anonymous revelation from a bungee jumping coach claiming ten years of experience ignited the internet. He disclosed that bungee jumping equipment must have the main rope replaced every 500 jumps, tension tests should be conducted before each day of operation, backup systems (dual protection) should never be omitted… Many scenic areas, in an attempt to cut costs, often exceed the rope usage limit, simplify inspection processes, and have poorly trained coaches.
Netizens have been condemning the incident: “This is playing with the lives of tourists!” “Accountability must be pursued, this is not an accident but a lack of responsibility!” “We suggest a nationwide shutdown and rectification of all high-altitude activities!”
This accident is not an isolated case. Investigations have revealed that safety hazards are widespread in high-risk activities such as bungee jumping.
“Tang Tao” stated that data shows there were 17 major amusement facility accidents nationwide in 2024, with 70% involving private scenic spots.
In August 2025, a rope broke incident at the popular suspension bridge in Zhaosu scenic area in Xinjiang led to the death of 5 people and injuries to 24 others. What is even more shocking is that a similar issue occurred in June 2024 with no substantial rectification measures taken.
In 2024, an incident at a certain scenic area in Hubei resulted in serious injuries to a tourist due to improper connection of the main and backup ropes, which bears a high resemblance to the current incident.
“Chen Yang’s Deep Thoughts” mentioned that since the introduction of bungee jumping to China in the 1980s, with its extreme thrill, it has attracted adventure-seeking tourists. Incomplete statistics show that there are nearly a hundred bungee jumping projects nationwide, with over a million participants annually. However, the safety management and regulatory measures have failed to keep pace. The accident at Happy Valley in Xiling Gorge is not the first, and unfortunately may not be the last.
Official introductions state that Yichang Xiling Gorge Happy Valley Tourist Area was established in 1998, located within the 4A scenic area – Xiling Gorge Scenic Area of Yichang, Hubei Province, operating projects including Three Gorges Bungee Jumping, and Cliff Swinging Board.