Witnesses have described the terrifying moment a man fell 200ft to his death from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, with some saying they had "blood on their clothing" after the incident. The man, a father, was on the ride with his son when he plunged from the ride during what was meant to be a family day out.
The incident took place at the amusement park in Cobb County, near Atlanta, at around 4pm local time (8pm BST). Visitors reported seeing the man fly off the Goliath rollercoaster, and witnesses on the ride described the event to 11Alive, NBC's television affiliate in Atlanta, stating he can be seen in the souvenir photo.
Witnesses Describe the Fall
One woman said: "He didn't fall directly onto us, he fell onto a girl two rows in front of us. He fell and hit the cart three different times." She added: "His son was sitting right beside him, his wife and daughter were not on the ride, they were at the bottom and had no idea. His son watched it all."
She also noted: "He's in our Goliath pictures, the pictures that they take that you can keep. He is in our pictures out of the cart and everything." A man with the female witness said they could see the man "flying off the cart".
Park Response and Shutdowns
In response, theme park operator Six Flags temporarily shut down nine rollercoasters across six amusement parks on Monday as a precautionary measure. A spokesperson said the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution". The park added that it was "deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest's family, friends, and loved ones."
Officials have not confirmed how the person died or the condition of those injured. Aerial footage shows the ride stopped midway, with rescuers going row by row to bring the passengers to safety, while others remained stranded midway through the ride.
Background and Official Statements
Lisa Cupid, the Cobb County board of commissioners chair, said in a statement: "I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one." She added that next of kin have been notified.
Opening in 2006, the Goliath ride has an elevation of 200ft (60m), a 170ft plunge, a 540-degree spiral, and a speed of up to 70mph. During about 3 1/2 minutes, riders "navigate through razor-sharp turns and soar over colossal hills", according to the website. Just three months after the ride opened, a man died on the Goliath, believed to have suffered a heart attack. After an inspection showed that the roller coaster was operating properly, it was reopened to the public.
