Starfield Bungee Jump Fall Death... Police Send 3 Responsible Persons for Prosecution

Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter Due to Negligence
Investigation Ongoing on Whether It Constitutes a Major Civil Disaster

The police investigating the fatal bungee jumping fall accident that occurred at Starfield Anseong around 4:20 p.m. on February 26 have referred the equipment management officials to the prosecution.

On the 11th, the Criminal Mobile Unit of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency sent three people, including A, a safety officer in his 20s belonging to the indoor sports theme park 'Smob' at Starfield Anseong, and safety management officials of the branch and headquarters, to the prosecution on the 3rd on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

Bungee jumping equipment at Starfield Anseong where a passenger fall accident occurred.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A is suspected of neglecting safety measures related to the accident in which a woman in her 60s, B, who was using Smob's indoor bungee jumping equipment, fell to the concrete floor 8 meters below and died. B was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident, but it was found that the carabiner (rescue hook) was not fastened.

The two suspects sent along with A are accused of neglecting their duty of care to prevent the accident. The investigation revealed that A was a part-time worker who had joined about two weeks ago and was not an expert with safety-related qualifications or skills.

Shinsegae Property, which operates Starfield, delegates safety-related measures to tenant companies. It is known that part-time workers undergo about 5 to 10 days of training after joining Smob.

A, who started working at the bungee jump platform after receiving safety training from Smob, made a critical mistake by failing to properly check B's safety equipment such as the carabiner, causing the accident. The ride B used involves wearing a harness (chest strap) connected to the ceiling rope with a carabiner (connecting hook). When safety equipment is properly worn, the speed gradually decreases before hitting the ground, preventing a fall accident.

B is reported to have visited Smob with her daughter and grandson when the accident occurred. B was transported to the hospital while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a state of cardiac arrest but ultimately died.

During the police investigation, A reportedly stated, "I accidentally did not fasten the safety hook connecting the body and the rope," and "I don't know why I did that."

The police have completed the initial investigation by sending A and two others to the prosecution and are continuing to examine whether this case qualifies as a serious citizen disaster.

According to current law, if a disaster occurs due to management defects at public facilities and results in one or more deaths or 10 or more injuries requiring treatment for more than two months, it qualifies as a serious citizen disaster.

If concluded as a serious citizen disaster, the representative of Smob, who corresponds to the 'management responsibility person' stipulated by the law, may be charged with citizen disaster homicide.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Starfield Anseong has not been involved in the operation of Smob, which has a lease contract relationship, so Starfield is not held responsible for this accident.