AT least four people were injured, including two children, after a fairground ride snapped mid-air in Sevilla.
Chilling footage shows a cable giving way as the Feria de Abril’s slingshot ride, known as Steel Max, launches its cabin several metres off the ground at around 8:20pm on Friday.
The capsule, carrying two minors identified only as Carlos and Manuel, is then seen slamming into the ride’s frame before swinging violently to a halt – leaving the children stranded roughly five metres above the ground.
Emergency services raced to the scene within minutes. Carlos and Manuel were taken to Virgen de la Macarena hospital, according to reports, while two other injured fairgoers were treated at the site.
Rescuers say none of the injuries were life-threatening, but Manuel’s mother, Maria Sanchez, told 101TV her son ‘hit his head so hard’ he remembers nothing of the terrifying ordeal.
“All I could hear were my child’s screams,” she said.
“Psychologically, we’re really shaken. My children don’t ever want to set foot at a fair again — and they used to love the rides.”
READ MORE: Sevilla’s Feria de Abril 2026: Your ultimate guide to Spain’s wildest spring party
The incident has sparked fury among parents, with some now threatening legal action. They claim the ride’s manufacturer has “refused to take responsibility” following the near-tragedy.
A woman believed to be Carlos’s mother told Canal Sur: “It’s like our children have been given a second life.
“It’s a miracle — we don’t know how they’re still alive. Of course we’re going to sue.
“Especially after how [the manufacturer] treated us. They didn’t even call.”
Sevilla’s Feria de Abril is one of Spain’s most famous festivals, held each spring about two weeks after Easter.
What began as a 19th-century livestock fair has grown into a week-long celebration of Andalucian culture, centred around a vast fairground filled with private tents (casetas) where people gather to eat, drink, and dance.
The event is known for flamenco music, traditional dress, horse-drawn carriages, and a lively fairground with rides and attractions.
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