SYDNEY, Nov 17 — Australian authorities charged a bouncy castle operator Friday over a 2021 disaster in which six children were killed after strong winds lifted one of the inflatable play structures into the air.

The company, Taz-Zorb, has been charged with breaching health and safety legislation, said Robyn Pearce, the work health and safety regulator in the state of Tasmania, where the tragedy occurred.

Strong winds blew a large inflatable castle into the air at an end-of-term school party in December, 2021, killing six children aged between 11 and 12.

Authorities at the time said the children were thrown from a height of about 10 metres (33 feet), citing initial witness reports.

Prosecutors filed a complaint alleging Taz-Zorb had "exposed the children to a risk of death or serious injury”, Pearce said in a statement.

"Throughout the last year I have continued to meet with the families of the children who died or were injured in this incident and would again like to express my condolences to each of them.”

The company can be punished with a fine of up to A$1.5 million (RM4.5 million) for the alleged offence. — AFP