ZIP World has sought to reassure residents that its “Skyflyer” attraction in Rhyl is still on course to open to the public after a tear in the airship was noticed during the weekend.
A resident said that, at about 5.15pm on Saturday (August 5), they heard a “loud bang” before noticing that the Skyflyer, on the town’s beachfront, had “popped”, before informing Zip World.
Another told the Journal that it appeared the Skyflyer’s “seams had split” and that its “wires had come off”.
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Zip World Skyflyer takes off following re-inflation on Rhyl seafront
Zip World Skyflyer inflated again on Rhyl seafront
Zip World re-inflated the Skyflyer in late June, and has been running tests on the long-awaited attraction since.
It had previously been due to open last summer, and then in March of this year.
A spokesperson for Zip World said: “We are currently making temporary repairs to the Skyflyer following a tear to the outer layer of the air cushion which supports the aerostat.
“We would like to reassure the local community that the surrounding area is safe, and apologise for any concern caused.”
Should it get off the ground, the Skyflyer will take passengers 400ft in the air to enjoy panoramic views of the coast of North Wales and beyond.
It was initially inflated prior to an August launch, but was then delayed until 2023 due to an “engineering and design challenge” found during testing.
But after a revised opening date of March 11 was set, this was also postponed just days prior to this.
Zip World added on Saturday evening: “We are aware some attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a tear in our Skyflyer aerostat.
“This is an external tear that does not impact the helium levels, nor is it a safety critical issue. Naturally there are many layers to the aerostat, allowing for this kind of incident.
“Whilst it may be a setback for us, it’s not a health and safety issue, and we’re confident we can deal with it swiftly. Thank you, everyone, for your messages of concern.”
On a clear day, passengers on the Skyflyer will be able to see all the way to Liverpool and the Wirral, including the peaks of Moel Famau and Snowdonia.
It takes three minutes to fully ascend, and the ride is accessible to wheelchair users, people with other disability needs, people of all ages, and dogs.
The £2.5million project involves a 32-metre inflated balloon that takes 6,750 cubic metres of high-grade helium to inflate.
Automatically controlled while not in operation, the aerostat can face into prevailing winds even when in its moored position using a rotating platform.
And its viewing platform, which is attached below the envelope, can carry up to 28 passengers at a time with a total payload of 2,500kg.
Its maximum capacity is 112 passengers per hour, with each flight lasting about 15 minutes.
Brave passengers can experience vertical views through a glass floor section that has been integrated into the platform design.
Skyflyer flights will be able to be booked by visiting Zip World’s website.
Its operational hours are set to be from 9am-8pm in summer, and 10am-3pm during the winter.
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