Heavy rains blamed for tree falling on bridge, killing Chinese tourist

Relentless rains for more than four days softened the soil at a 50-year-old tree’s roots, causing its collapse on a suspension bridge at a zipline attraction in Chiang Mai province, killing one person, investigators said on Friday.

Police officers have been investigating the scene at Jungle Flight Chiang Mai in Doi Saket district to find the cause of the horrific accident that killed Chinese national Jing Chen, 44, and injured her husband Liu Yang, 46, on Thursday (August 1).

The couple reportedly had also brought their son and daughter to the attraction that features zipline adventure trips, which the children did not participate in.

Witnesses said the couple was returning from a zipline adventure they had gone on earlier in the morning. While they were walking on a suspension bridge, some 15 metres above ground, a tree fell on the bridge, tossing the couple in the air. The Chinese couple were severely injured after hitting the ground, witnesses said.

Jing Chen reportedly succumbed to her injuries in the ambulance, while Liu Yang is now being treated for a broken arm and leg at Chiangmai Ram Hospital in Muang district.

A tourist police officer said the uprooted tree was of the holm oak family, around 50 years old, and located around 20 metres from the bridge. It was 40 metres tall and had a circumference of 80-100 centimetres.

The attraction employs around 40 people to provide assistance at zipline stations, but the transport of the victims to the nearest hospital, some 31km away, was difficult due to a narrow road with a lot of curves, police said.

On Friday, deputy Tourist Police chief Maj-General Pongsiam Meekanthong visited the victim and his family at the hospital. He informed them that the zipline company had insured tourists for 1 million baht in the event of death and up to 500,000 baht for injuries. He said the Tourist Assistance Centre would help them process the claims.