A weekend outing at Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon turned chaotic Saturday afternoon when a man suffered a medical emergency on the Skyfari Sky Ride and fell to the ground, according to witnesses and officials. Visitors and zoo staff rushed to help as the rider dangled roughly 15 to 20 feet above the ground, trying to support him before he slipped and fell. Witnesses said the man appeared to continue having a seizure after hitting the ground.
Mendon fire crews called for an air ambulance, and the man was flown to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. As of the latest reports, authorities had not released an update on his condition.
According to NBC10 Boston, a zoo spokesperson said the rider experienced a seizure while on the Skyfari, prompting staff to activate safety protocols. Aaron Bergeron, a visitor from Rhode Island, told the station he and others tried to hold onto the rider as his feet hung above the ground, estimating the drop at 15 to 20 feet, before the man ultimately fell. The zoo spokesperson said staff and emergency responders reacted immediately.
The Mendon Fire Department said in a social media post that crews responded Saturday afternoon and that a LifeFlight helicopter transported the patient to the UMass campus in Worcester, Boston 25 News reported. The department later described the incident as a fall after dispatchers received more detailed information. No further medical information had been released by the department or the zoo as of the most recent updates.
Ride History and Safety Questions
Local reporting shows this is not the first time the Skyfari has drawn unwanted attention. The ride previously stalled in July 2025, leaving more than 30 people stranded in the air, and there was a separate evacuation in July 2022. WCVB covered the 2025 evacuation, while The Boston Globe documented the 2022 rescues.
Those earlier incidents led the zoo to develop emergency response procedures and sparked visitor questions about how the ride is maintained and how clearly the zoo communicates with guests when something goes wrong.
Zoo Response and What to Know About the Skyfari
The Skyfari is a chairlift-style attraction that carries riders above the zoo for an aerial view of the grounds and animal exhibits. The zoo’s rides page warns guests with certain medical conditions and lists rider restrictions. Southwick’s Zoo says the Skyfari is maintained and inspected on a regular schedule.
The zoo told NBC10 Boston that staff and emergency responders "reacted immediately" and that safety measures for the ride were initiated as soon as the medical emergency was recognized.
Visitors described the incident as frightening and said they were shaken by what they saw. Some called for clearer fall-protection measures on aerial attractions like the Skyfari. The Mendon Fire Department’s post and local coverage so far have offered limited additional details, and there had been no new medical update on the rider’s condition by the time local outlets published their reports.
Authorities and zoo officials did not immediately provide further comment to reporters. This remains a developing story and will be updated as more information is released.
