Singapore Flyer to reopen on Sep 13 after technical issue resolved
Rides had been suspended due to an issue involving a spoke cable detected during a routine inspection.
A view of the Singapore Flyer. (File photo: Facebook/Singapore Flyer)
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SINGAPORE: Rides on the Singapore Flyer will resume on Saturday (Sep 13) after they were temporarily suspended due to a technical issue that was detected during a routine maintenance inspection.
Straco Leisure, which owns the attraction, said on Wednesday that the closure was a precautionary measure.
"Our team has been working closely with the relevant authorities to complete comprehensive inspections and rectification works," said Straco Leisure late on Friday, adding that it has concluded the works and received approvals.
It added that it is contacting guests whose bookings were affected by the suspension to reschedule their visits.
"The team at Singapore Flyer sincerely thanks all guests, partners, and stakeholders for their patience and understanding, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back soon."
On Wednesday, Straco had said in a statement that it was "working closely with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to conduct the necessary inspection, repairs and rectification works."
"Meanwhile, shops and restaurants at Singapore Flyer’s retail terminal remain open."
In response to CNA's queries, a Singapore Flyer spokesperson said that it activated its safety protocols before operations began on Wednesday morning.
It added that it carries out routine maintenance inspections daily – both during operating hours and throughout the night.
A BCA spokesperson told CNA that the technical issue involved one of the spoke cables and a specialist professional engineer would be engaged to carry out inspections and testing before ride operations can resume.
Spoke cables support the outside rim of a giant observation wheel by holding it in compression.
Singapore Flyer did not provide a specific date then for the resumption of operations.
Its spokesperson had said: "We are committed to working around the clock to resolve the matter. Flight operations will resume once all checks and tests have been completed."
Customers with prior bookings can contact Straco's customer service team for assistance, the company said.
Those who made bookings through third-party platforms should contact their booking agent directly, according to a post on the attraction's Facebook page.
The attraction previously suspended operations in January 2022 after a "technical issue" was found during a routine maintenance inspection.
Inspections and tests carried out under the supervision of an appointed specialist professional engineer had revealed "some technical issues" affecting a small section of the outer layer of a spoke cable, a Singapore Flyer spokesperson told CNA then.
In a similar incident in 2019, media outlet The Straits Times reported that 39 people on the ride had to be evacuated due to a technical issue involving a spoke cable.
