A man has died after falling from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in the US on Monday, during what was meant to be a day out with his son. The ride stands at 200ft tall and reaches speeds of up to 70mph.
According to reports, the man may have slipped from his seat before crashing along the cart a number of times as he plummeted. His son sat beside him during the incident. Several other riders were injured in the ordeal, and others on the ride were left stranded and covered in blood before the theme park was evacuated.
Witness describes fall
One witness told 11Alive news outlet: "He fell and hit the car three different times." The victim hit a girl two rows in front of her, "smashing" down right as the ride's camera snapped a photo, the witness said. "He was in our pictures."
Other riders on the rollercoaster, which opened in 2006, were stranded at an incline as evacuation attempts began at around 5pm local time. They were evacuated in groups of four, while others remained stuck in the middle.
Park had closed due to weather
The theme park had been shut one day earlier due to bad weather. A spokesperson had said: "Due to weather conditions, Six Flags Over Georgia will be closed Saturday, October 10. The safety of our guests and team members is always a top priority. We're planning to reopen Sunday, October 11, and will continue to keep a close eye on conditions."
After the fatal incident, the theme park issued another statement. A spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly: "We are 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. The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family's privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time."
Investigation ongoing
Officials are yet to confirm how the man died, and the cause of the incident is not yet known. The incident follows the shutdown of a controversial ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, after more than 100 safety complaints.
