Hanging in balance: World's tallest Ferris wheel shut over mysterious reasons

Ain Dubai or DubaiEye was meant to be a tourist-luring fixture in Dubai's skyscraper-studded skyline, but now only its extravagant light features work. Once touted as the world's biggest Ferris wheel, Dubai's Ain Dubai mysteriously stopped working just months after opening.

Until further notice

As per a statement on the tourist attraction's official website, "Ain Dubai remains closed until further notice."

"We continue to rigorously work on completing the enhancement works that have been taking place over the past months," it adds.

However, employees at the numerous restaurants, shops and cafés built around the Dubai eye are sceptical about the turning of this Ferris wheel.

As per AFP, it was supposed to close for only a month, however, Ain Dubai's reopening has been postponed indefinitely.

"Last year they promised us that in winter it will be open, even now, they are saying that in (the coming) winter it will be open again," said one employee while talking to AFP.

"But we're not sure... it will," he added while speaking on condition of anonymity.

Reason behind closure

AFP reports that for more than a month, the attraction has remained closed, with ticket booths abandoned. A slow trickle of tourists continue to visit the mega-wheel but only to click pictures of the LED lights mounted on the tourist attraction.

Marwan Mohammad, an Egyptian tourist told the news agency that he asked a security guard about the Ferris wheel but was told that "it doesn't work."

"I asked him for the reason but he did not give me an answer," said the tourist.

An official explanation is yet to be announced, however, employees at Bluewaters speculate that the reason is technical issues.

"This is a man-made island. I heard that (the wheel) is heavier than the island itself, that's why it is very dangerous," said a waiter, adding that during its few months of operation, it had been noisy.

"Now... it's only for show, just for the lighting and that's it".

Dubai Eye

At nearly twice the height of the London Eye, the Ain Dubai is the largest of its kind in the world. The tourist attraction stands at a height of 250 metres (825 feet). Dubai's tourism department claims that each of its legs is the length of 15 London buses.

With 48-passenger air-conditioned cabins, it could carry 1,750 passengers on a single ride. Tickets for the 38-minute ride used to cost between 100 dirhams (about $27) and 4,700 dirhams (about $1,280). Luxury passes and private cabins were also on offer.

It was built by a consortium of international companies and is located in Bluewaters — a man-made island that serves as a retail, residential and entertainment hub.

(With inputs from agencies)

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