Skyflyer to be removed from Rhyl site after winds caused deflation

On Tuesday afternoon (September 19) at about 4.30pm, a Rhyl resident said the Skyflyer said the aerostat “all of a sudden just collapsed into itself”.

Yesterday afternoon (September 20), Zip World posted an update to say that it will be removed from the site, in the latest setback from the attraction which is still yet to open to the public.

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Zip World’s Skyflyer in Rhyl brought down as heavy winds deflate it

The deflated Skyflyer on Tuesday afternoon (Image: Submitted)

A Zip World statement read: “Preparations are taking place to safely remove the aerostat from the Skyflyer site.

“We appreciate that this is disappointing and want to thank the local community for their understanding and co-operation.

“We will provide a further update when we can.”

Despite several opening dates having been set, the Skyflyer encountered numerous delays in getting off the ground; last month, residents spotted a tear in the airship after hearing a “loud bang”.

It had previously been due to open last summer, and then in March of this year.

The deflated Skyflyer (Image: Rhyl Events and Activities)

Zip World re-inflated the Skyflyer in late June, and had been running tests on the attraction since.

Should it eventually open, the Skyflyer will take passengers 400ft in the air to enjoy panoramic views of the coast of North Wales and beyond.

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.

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.