A tragic accident occurred yesterday at the The Geong, a popular tourist attraction located in the Limpakuwus Pine Forest in Banyumas regency, Central Java, where a glass bridge collapsed and killed a tourist who was crossing it.
The bridge, which was built in 2019, was supposed to be a popular attraction for visitors who wanted to enjoy the scenic views of the park. However, according to witnesses, the bridge suddenly cracked and shattered, sending the tourist plummeting to the ground.
The victim was identified as Lee Min-woo, a 35-year-old man from Seoul. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The park authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the bridge failure and have closed the park until further notice, but reportedly the glass of the bridge was only one inch thick.
The incident has raised questions about the safety and maintenance of glass bridges, which have become increasingly common in China and South Korea. Some experts have warned that glass bridges are vulnerable to weather conditions, vandalism, and human error. They have urged for stricter regulations and inspections to prevent future disasters.
Venice, known for its bridges and canals, has one of its own, Ponte della Costituzione, which opened to the public in September 2008 and is the fourth bridge over Venice’s Grand Canal, according to Architectuul, the site for the global architectural community. Previously called Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande, it was renamed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Italian constitution, which was in 2008. The bridge connects Venice’s train station with Piazzale Roma, the arrival point for anyone entering the city by car or bus. “It’s a very important bridge in the city and well traversed, mostly by tourists,” says Filippo Curinga, a longtime resident and the owner of IDI Travel, a Venice-based company that plans luxury private trips to Italy.
In January 2022 Venice announced that the glass floor was being replaced with trachyte stone because the glass was too dangerous, too many people were slipping on it and seriously hurting themselves, resulting in bruises and broken bones.
There are more than 40 glass bridges and glass walkways in the world, and most of them are in China. In North America the most notable glass bridges are the Glacier Skywalk in Canada and the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge with a glass walkway at Eagle Point in Arizona near the Colorado River.
