In a tragic incident that unfolded on Friday at the high-end Ayuterra Resort in Ubud, Bali, five individuals lost their lives when a staff elevator cable malfunctioned and sent the Funicular lift car careening 65 meters to the ground. Three women and two men, identified as Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna, 19, I Wayan Aries Setiawan, 23, Ni Luh Supernigsih, 20, Kadek Hardiyanti, 24, and Kadek Yanti Pradewi, 19, perished as the lift crashed through a barrier at the bottom of the track.
Three of the victims succumbed to their injuries at Payangan Hospital. A shocking revelation from local reports indicated that the ill-fated elevator lacked an emergency brake. In the wake of this horrific accident, Ayuterra Resort has reportedly extended financial support to the victims’ families, with the additional backing from the Worker’s Social Security Agency.
However, this benevolence from the resort allegedly comes with strings attached. It was reported that families accepting aid were required to promise they would refrain from pursuing future legal actions against the resort. I Nyoman Wirajaya, the resort’s legal counsel, clarified that these conditions were in line with the terms of the financial aid agreement.
It is worth noting that only one amongst the deceased was a full-time employee of the resort. The resort has pledged to provide 404 million INR ($44975) in assistance to the victims’ families, with approximately half being offered specifically to the next of kin of the said employee.
Bali’s Governor Wayne Koster conveyed his concerns about the incident, suggesting that if negligence was found to be the cause then the resort may face severe repercussions. He emphasized on the necessity of performing routine feasibility audits, expressing suspicion that such necessary precautions may have been overlooked in this case.
In the meantime, Ayuterra Resort has temporarily closed its doors while an investigation into the matter continues. Guests who had been staying there at the time of the accident have been relocated to alternative lodgings, with compensations being provided, as per the resort’s spokesperson.
