An outdoor lift that failed, killing several Bali hotel workers, has been revealed as an Instagram-famous experience for travellers.
Five housekeepers at Ubud’s Ayuterra Resort died when the lift cable snapped, sending the elevator plummeting 100m down an embankment to the ground on Friday.
The workers have been identified as Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna, 19, Wayan Aries Setiawan, 23, Ni Luh Superningsih, 20, Kadek Hardiyanti, 24, and Kadek Yanti Pradewi, 19.
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The glass outdoor lift, which transports both hotel guests and workers on a track up and down a steep slope, had been previously used as a selling point on social media.
The hotel posted a video in February showing the lift, operating properly, and a first-person view of the descent through lush tropical plants and stunning scenery.
“Make your memorable experience on your special occasion with us,” the hotel posted.
One Instagram user commented the resort was “heaven in Ubud”.
Previous guests have expressed their shock and sadness at the accident via social media.
One person posted a TikTok video taken inside the lift, saying: “I was here on this lift only six weeks ago, today I hear of an accident that killed five staff members when the lift malfunctioned. My thoughts go out to their families.”
Others commented “emergency brakes must be installed on lifts like this”, while some speculated they were installed but had failed.
Instagram users have also noted videos taken in 2019, which show three cables being used to operate the lift, while at the time of the accident there was allegedly only one cable in use.
Local authorities are investigating into what caused the cable to snap, with preliminary information suggesting the lift was too heavy.
“It is possible that the steel cable was not strong enough to pull the load and the safety wedge or brake does not work,” Ubud police chief Made Uder said.
When someone commented on the TikTok video of the lift, asking “How many people can be inside?”, the poster replied: “There was only ever two of us”, but noted that it could fit “five or six people maximum”.
Investigations are ongoing.
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