A fatal incident occurred at Six Flags Over Georgia, located approximately 15 miles from Atlanta, on Monday afternoon. The Cobb County Police Department responded to the scene just before 16:00 local time after receiving reports of an accident on a ride at the amusement park. Police identified the deceased as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old Atlanta resident.
According to preliminary police findings based on witness and employee statements, Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction. Aerial news footage showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, with park workers assisting riders off the ride. Multiple witnesses described seeing an empty seat with a loose safety bar and described the incident as chaotic and distressing.
The Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, which oversees amusement park safety standards in Georgia, stated it would review the incident to verify compliance with applicable policies and procedures. Park officials expressed condolences and stated their team responded immediately and was cooperating with local authorities. Six Flags announced it would temporarily close nine rides across its locations in the United States and Canada as a precautionary measure.
Experts noted that rollercoasters in the United States are not subject to federal regulation, with individual states responsible for establishing safety protocols and maintenance standards. The Goliath ride, which opened in 2006, features a 200-foot elevation, a 170-foot drop, and speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. This marks at least the seventh death associated with the Six Flags Over Georgia location, according to tracking data from a law firm specializing in amusement park incidents.
The incident comes weeks after another Six Flags park in California announced plans to retire the X2 roller coaster following more than 100 reports of alleged brain injuries from the ride.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI