Suspended in the Sky: Russian Tourists Left Hanging at Vietnamese Theme Park

A Russian winter swimming champion and his companions found themselves stuck at the top of a roller coaster in Vietnam—with no compensation offered after the ride broke down. Mark Mordovtsev, a world champion in cold-water swimming, recounted the ordeal at the VinWonders Phuquoc Amazon Volcano park, which he had earlier praised as "Asia's Disneyland."

The trouble began when their car stopped at the ride's peak. "At first, we thought it was intentional—a dramatic pause before the drop," Mordovtsev told 78.ru. But when the car didn't move, staff realized a technical failure had occurred. After a tense wait, security evacuated the stranded riders. "There was no panic—everyone just froze and waited their turn," he said. The roller coaster never resumed operation, and park officials offered no refund or compensation.

The incident echoes a similar one last June in Ohio, where riders were left dangling on the Siren's Curse—America's tallest, fastest, and longest coaster, topping out at 48 meters. That ride malfunctioned on June 6 and again the following day. For now, Mordovtsev's group is safe but left with a story—and a bill for their trouble.