Recently, a tourist suffered serious injuries after falling nearly 40 feet during a zipline ride at a resort in Karnataka’s Dandeli. The incident, which was caught on camera, has gone viral on social media, raising fresh concerns about safety standards at adventure tourism destinations.
Tourist Falls 40 Feet During Zipline Ride At Karnataka’s Resort
Why you always need to be cautious when it comes to this stuff.
Poor guy, if he had just moved forward by a few feet he would have ended up on the grass which would have been better.
Incident occurred at Starling River Resort, Dandeli.#accident #karnataka #adventuresports pic.twitter.com/uzNHR6BUH9
— Sidharth Shukla (@sidhshuk) July 19, 2026
The victim, recognised as Kuber Surpur from Vijayapura, was riding a zipline at Sterling River Resort when the safety mechanism allegedly failed midway, causing him to plunge from an estimated height of 40 feet. According to reports, he sustained multiple fractures and nerve damage in the fall.
Kuber’s family has held the resort liable for the accident, alleging that proper maintenance and routine safety inspections could have prevented the incident. They have requested a thorough investigation and stricter safety measures to ensure similar accidents do not occur in the future.
As per the reports by the Indian Express, Sterling River Resort has denied allegations of negligence. In a statement quoted by the news portal, the resort described the incident as an unfortunate accident and maintained that all prescribed safety protocols were followed at the time of the zipline procedure.
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How Did Social Media React To This?
Meanwhile, the viral video has led to widespread criticism on social media, with many users questioning the safety of adventure sports in India.
One user wrote, “In other places, there are strict rules, regular inspections and guaranteed compensation if something goes wrong. In India, most of these exist only on paper. Doing adventure sports here is risky.”
Another questioned the design of the zipline, saying, “The harness should keep a person secured even if they let go of the rope. How was such a setup approved?”
A third user remarked that the tourist was fortunate to survive, adding that many similar incidents have ended in fatalities. The user also called for stricter certification and regulation of adventure sports operators.
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What are your thoughts about this?
Cover Image Courtesy: X/Sidharth Shukla
FAQs
What is a zipline?
A zipline is a pulley suspended on an inclined stainless-steel cable.
Where is India's longest zip line?
India’s longest zipline is Eagle's Flight, located in Suryanelli, Munnar, Kerala.
What is the injury rate for ziplines?
The annual injury rate for ziplines is relatively low, at about 11.64 injuries per one million people.
