THIS is the heart-stopping moment rescuers had to climb a Ferris wheel to save passengers left dangling in mid-air.

Onlookers were left horrified after two of the carriages aboard the ride flipped upside down at the Navratri Mela festival in India on Wednesday.

The ride then completely broke down at around 10:15pm as the annual celebrations were taking place in the Narela area of New Delhi.

However, an official rescue wasn’t carried out until 30-40 minutes later, leaving a number of men to put their own lives at risk and climb the high frame.

Harrowing footage of the ordeal soon went viral on social media, where the helpers were one slip away from imminent death.

One cabin in the footage appeared to be dangerously askew as the men climbing the ride’s frame carefully carried out the rescue.

Passengers could also be seen climbing down the Ferris wheel in an attempt to reach safety.

Miraculously, though, no one was injured.

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Local reports reveal that 20 people, including 12 women and four children, had been rescued.

According to DCP Ravi Kumar Singh, they were “evacuated safely and left immediately” after the incident.

The Delhi Police officer also said that legal action will be initiated against the organisers.

“We are further looking into the incident,” he said, adding that the Ferris wheel stopped working due to a technical malfunction.

A spokesman said: “Everyone has been rescued safely. Legal action has been initiated against the organiser. We are further looking into the incident.”

The Navratri Mela festival is a post-monsoon Hindu event also known as the Nine Nights, which is observed in honour of the goddess Durga.

This isn’t the only dangerous incident involving Ferris wheel’s in India in recent times, with a girl getting her hair stuck in the ride last month.

Terrifying footage shows the victim not being able to move an inch as her entire hair was pulled by the shaft.

Elsewhere, three thrillseekers including a girl of ten were left in a critical condition after they were sent flying off a spinning fairground ride.

Passengers on board were flung out of their seats when the safety bars malfunctioned at the Ducasse fair in Belgium.