Bronx Zoo's Skyfari reopens after last month's stall

Nearly a month after a malfunction shut it down, the Bronx Zoo?s Skyfari ride is back in business Friday. The ride simply shut down and stopped moving on July 9, leaving passengers hanging for hours

News 12 Staff

Aug 1, 2008, 10:34 PM

Updated 5,919 days ago

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Nearly a month after a malfunction shut it down, the Bronx Zoo?s Skyfari ride is back in business Friday.
The ride simply shut down and stopped moving on July 9, leaving passengers hanging for hours until they could be hoisted down to safety. Initially, the problem was attributed to the weather, but the Department of Labor investigated and found that wasn?t the case at all.
The investigation showed that the standstill was caused by a mechanical problem. One of the pulleys on the ride malfunctioned, causing the stoppage. The pulley has since been repaired.
Zoo visitors had mixed feelings about taking a ride on the newly reopened Skyfari. ?It was very fun to go on, I highly recommend it,? Fernando Barrios says.
Cathy West feels differently. ?I?m not going to take [the Skyfari] today because I heard there was a problem,? she says.
The operating procedures for the ride have not been changed, and according to the Department of Labor, they don?t need to be. The department says that the ride did exactly what it was supposed to do it the event of a malfunction ? stop completely. The Department of Labor has deemed the Skyfari safe for riding.
Zoo officials say the malfunction was the first for the Skyfari, which has been open since 1973.
Bronx Zoo completes investigation of stalled Skyfari