Spectators injured after aerial camera breaks from its cables in Olympic Park in Rio

SEVEN people have been taken to hospital after an aerial camera snapped from its cable outside the basketball venue at the Rio Olympic Park. WATCH THE VIDEO!

SEVEN people have been taken to hospital after an aerial camera snapped from its cable outside the basketball venue at the Rio Olympic Park.

The incident, which happened at 2:30pm local time outside the Carioca Arena and was broadcast live on local television.

The confirmed injured included two women and two children.

“It was like a bolt of lightning coming towards me, I couldn’t react and it hit my knee,” Cristina Camps told Globo Esporte. She is the mother of 11 year-old Ana Luisa who also sustained an injury to her leg.

Olympic officials rushed to surround the area with screens and administer first aid before two of the injured were taken to Lourenço Jorge Hospital.

Police and firemen were on the scene outside the Carioca basketball arena, in the Olympic precinct, where wound-up cabling and broken glass were lying on the ground.

The Olympic Broadcasting Services have issued a statement on the incident.

“This afternoon at approximately 13.30 the pulling rope of the Olympic Park cable camera, which is responsible for its movement, was down in the Olympic Park. At that time OBS dispatched a unit to investigate the situation.

A determination was made to clear the area and start recovering the pulling rope. At that time the camera was at the height of 10 meters above the concourse, supported by the two independent guide ropes, each one of which could carry the full load of the camera. Immediately OBS requested a cherry picker to arrive at the area to access the camera. A few minutes later, both ropes simultaneously broke. This resulted in the camera falling from a height of 20 meters onto a lower concourse. Rio 2016 Security and National Forces mobilised immediately and provided assistance.

According to local medical authorities, there were seven minor injuries that have received medical attention. A full investigation has been launched.”

Witness Flavio Oliviera, 40, a medical interpreter from America, said the cable snapped “like a whip” and struck two young girls in front of him.

An injured woman is transferred to hospital after being struck by falling cables.

Four people were injured by the fallen camera.

One of the girls injured was 11 while the other was younger.

“It was like a whip, and then the cables came down,” he said.

“It hit one girl in the neck. I don’t know if she was injured or not but the girl was a little scared.

“She was crying, and crying. I don’t know if it was because of her injury or the shock.

Officials rope off the area impacted by the fallen camera. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“One had a bruise on the neck and she was crying and crying, and the other one who was hit on the ankle was crying as well.

“The mother was looking for help so the help came over quickly and they took them to the nursing station.”

Mr Oliviera said neither of the young girls suffered cuts.

According to Globo Esporte the injuries sustained are not considered serious.

Globo quotes OBS as saying they are confident “there is no further risk to the public”.

AP has reported the camera is operated by Olympic Broadcasting Services which is owned by the IOC.

The weather at the time was hot, with temperatures in the low 30s though there were strong gusts of wind blowing through the Park