Horror details emerge after woman falls to her death from chairlift at Anakeesta theme park as witnesses yelled at her

NEW details have emerged as police investigate a woman’s terrifying fall at a popular amusement park.

A woman from Tennessee was found dead under the chairlift at Anakeesta theme park on Thursday around 7:40 PM.

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Police now say they believe the woman died of apparent suicide.

All of the park’s attractions are located on top of a mountain in Gatlinburg, Tennesseeso visitors take a chairlift to get in and out of the park.

Jeffery McConnell told the local CBS affiliate WVLT that he was visiting the park with his family when the woman, who he believes was in her late twenties, fell from the elevator three-quarters of the way up the mountain.

McConnell said witnesses tried to tell the woman her security rail was up, but she allegedly ignored them.

Other witnesses told police that the woman “jumped out of the chairlift,” city official Seth Butler told the station.

“The Gatlinburg Police Department’s ongoing investigation into the July 28, 2022 incident in Anakeesta has determined that the possible cause of death for the woman who died under the chairlift is an apparent suicide,” Butler said in a statement to the network. .

“The GPD Investigations Division was dispatched to the scene around 7:41 p.m. Thursday evening and immediately began investigating the incident and took multiple witness statements confirming that the person jumped from the chairlift.”

The State Department of Labor and Workforce Development confirmed that the elevator was last inspected on April 21.

The permit was due to expire on August 4 and a new one was approved.

Inspection documents obtained by WVLT showed that the device complied with the code on April 21.

The device was also compliant during inspections last November and April, as well as one in October 2020.

The Chief Elevator Inspector of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Elevator Unit went to Gatlinburg Friday morning to examine the chairlift.

While on site Friday, the inspector would conduct a mechanical inspection of the aerial platform and assess multiple aspects of the elevator’s operation, a statement said.

The park continued Twitter on Friday: “The Ridge Rambler is open today while the chondrola is closed.”

In a statement to News 10, the park management said they operated the chairlift after the incident so that those on it could get out.

The elevator was then turned off for “an abundance of security to investigate the incident,” the park said.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family.

“The chairlift was thoroughly inspected 60 days ago by a third-party inspector and reassessed by our lift team after the incident.

“The initial assessment of the incident shows that the death had nothing to do with the operation of the elevator.

“The elevator was found to be in safe working order,” Anakeesta said.

“We mourn this tragic loss of life. Our deepest condolences go out to the family.”

Anakeesta told 10News that the state made another inspection Friday and approved the reopening of the elevator.

The state told the outlet it would not release details of the investigation until it was completed.

The Sun has contacted the park, the city and the police for comment, but has not heard anything from the press at the time.