Audio By Carbonatix
A kite-flying festival turned terrifying in Taiwan on Sunday when a 3-year-old girl became entangled in tail of giant kite and sent flying high into the air.
The international kite festival was being held in the city of Hsinchu, south of the capital Taipei.
Video of the accident, which circulated widely on social media, show several people preparing the large long-tailed pale orange kite for flight next to a crowd of viewers.
The kite is already billowing from the strong wind.Then, the organizers let the kite go -- and it flies up, along with a toddler dangling from its tail. It's not clear how close she was to the kite on the ground, or how she got caught in it.
Screams can be heard in the video as the child is lifted high into the air, being swung about wildly by the kite and wind. She was airborne for about 30 seconds before the kite was pulled low enough for audience members to grab and release her.
The child was in the air for about 30 seconds before she was lowered to the ground.
She was immediately rushed to the hospital with her mother and festival staffers, but miraculously only suffered minor injuries with abrasions to her face and neck, according to Taiwan's government-run Central News Agency.
She has since been discharged and is home with her family.In a statement on Facebook, Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien apologized for the incident, and said the festival was immediately suspended to ensure attendees' safety.
"We will review the circumstances to prevent accidents like this from happening again, and hold people accountable," he said.
The wind at the festival on Sunday afternoon was unusually strong, reaching a 7 on the Beaufort Scale -- meaning wind speeds ranged from 32 to 38 miles per hour (50 to 61 kilometers per hour), according to CNA. That's just one tier below one tier below gale-level winds on the scale.
Latest Stories
-
GPL 2025/26: Asante Kotoko draw with GoldStars to extend winless run
42 minutes -
Fire guts temporary wooden structures at Afful Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region
2 hours -
Haruna Iddrisu didn’t approve gender identity content – Education Ministry
2 hours -
‘We are not for sale’: Thousands rally in Greenland and Denmark against Trump’s annexation threat
2 hours -
Deputy Education Minister directs GES to act on video of SHS students displaying charms
2 hours -
From camouflage to tracksuits – Guinea’s junta leader becomes civilian president
2 hours -
Iran supreme leader admits thousands killed during recent protests
3 hours -
Judiciary to roll out court decongestion measures, galamsey courts – Chief Justice
4 hours -
Ugandan leader to extend 40-year rule after being declared winner of contested poll
4 hours -
Residents demand action on abandoned Salaga–Kumdi–Kpandai road
4 hours -
Ghana, Japan explore ways to deepen long-standing bilateral ties
5 hours -
Ghana Navy foils illegal fuel bunkering operation along Volta coastline
5 hours -
Gov’t assures minimal power disruption during WAPCo gas pipeline maintenance
5 hours -
Burna Boy and Sporty Group unveil new single “For Everybody” celebrating Africa’s sports heritage and cultural excellence
5 hours -
Achieve By Petra partners Richie Mensah to drive financial independence
6 hours
