A space shuttle simulator ride plunged to the ground at a popular amusement park in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Tuesday. Six people were killed and ten others injured.

Witnesses say there was a loss of electricity and they heard a loud explosion moments before the drop.

[Mr. Lam, Witness]: (Male, Cantonese)
"All the cabins but the one we were sitting in were destroyed. Some people fell onto the rail and some fell on the ground. Some people died instantly and were just hanging dead in their seats."

A relative of an injured tourist saw the accident happen.

[Mr. Suen, Witness]: (Male, Cantonese)
"After one compartment flew out, the other one crashed into it. There were some safety devices but they were jammed after the car failure, and after that the people could not get out. Some of the thinner people could crawl out."

Local media reported that five of those injured are still in a serious condition.

The "space flight" attraction gives riders the experience of a rocket launch, in 11 four-person cabins.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

In 2006, one person was killed and another seriously injured by a Ferris wheel accident in the southwestern province of Guizhou.