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An employee performing routine maintenance at a Tokyo theme park tragically lost their life after becoming trapped in the machinery of one of the rides.
The unfortunate event took place on Tuesday at Tokyo Dome City Attractions, specifically on the “Flying Balloon” ride, according to a statement from the company.
The company explained, “During regular maintenance on the ride, one of our employees became ensnared within the gondola mechanism. Despite rescue efforts, the employee was transported to a hospital where, regrettably, they were pronounced dead.”
Local media outlet NHK World Japan reported that the employee was identified by police as 24-year-old Kamimura Hina. It took emergency personnel approximately five hours to free her, but she was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
A general view of Tokyo Dome next to a theme park was captured on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo credit: Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos)
“Flying Balloon” is reportedly a 12-seat ride where passengers sit in a circle around a central pillar. The seats rotate and rise along the structure to a height of roughly 30 feet.
During the operator’s monthly inspection, the seats were elevated, allowing Kamimura and five colleagues to access and inspect the ride’s mechanisms, according to the outlet.
The victim is believed to have been working on a stepladder when the raised seats suddenly fell, trapping her against the central pillar.
People walk past the Thunder Dolphin roller coaster ride, left, and the Big O Ferris wheel, right, at Tokyo Dome City Attractions entertainment complex in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, March 15, 2020. (Toru Hanai/Bloomberg)
“We offer our deepest prayers for the repose of the deceased employee’s soul, and we extend our profound condolences and apologies to their bereaved family,” the companay said. “We also wish to offer our sincere apologies once again to all customers and stakeholders who have been inconvenienced and caused anxiety as a result of this accident.
People walk past the Tokyo Dome City Attractions entertainment complex, in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, March 15, 2020. (Toru Hanai/Bloomberg)
The corporation said it is conducting a full-scale investigation into the cause of the accident in coordination with relevant authorities, including police and the fire department.
Operations at all the attractions of the amusement park were immediately suspended until further notice, “as we dedicate our full efforts to thoroughly investigating the cause of this incident and implementing measures to prevent its recurrence,” they added.