Treetop Restaurant Fall Kills Tourist In Costa Rica Rainforest

In a bizarre and tragic event this weekend, a man was killed in a freak accident while rappelling down from a treetop restaurant in Costa Rica.

According to the New York Daily News, New York businessman John Anderson was celebrating his 65th birthday in the rainforest at the Pacuare Lodge in central Costa Rica. As part of the excursion, he and four friends had dinner at a unique treetop restaurant called The Nest. The restaurant is located at the top of a ceiba tree, on a platform more than 60 feet above the ground. Guests access the restaurant by taking a zipline onto the platform, then rappel down to the ground after the meal.

Something went wrong when Anderson went to rappel from the restaurant. Instead of being safely lowered to the ground, he fell the full height of the restaurant and was killed.

Anderson's business partner said there were safety precautions in place, but they failed. He also said that Anderson was not a risk-taking thrill-seeker ziplining around the rainforest. Costa Rica is a popular destination for its safety and access to nature, and Anderson's partner said he was just interested in a unique fine-dining experience in the rainforest.

"This wasn't a high-adventure rappelling trip up a steep cliff on a mountain. It was a high-end dining experience," Ryan said. "He wasn't a risk-taker. He thought of it as a unique experience, and unfortunately, something went horribly wrong."

Authorities in Costa Rica are investigating the accident to figure out what exactly went wrong.