Six Flags to add seatbelts to Goliath rollercoaster after rider's death
Theme park operator Six Flags will install seatbelts on its Goliath rollercoaster in Georgia after a 42-year-old man fell to his death earlier this month. The company has also commissioned an independent review of safety procedures across all its attractions.
US theme park operator Six Flags has announced it will fit seatbelts to its Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, following a fatal incident earlier this month. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old father and educator, was thrown from his seat and died.
According to the source, Kariem was ejected as the coaster went from a 165-foot (about 50-metre) drop toward a second drop of 180 feet. He struck the ride's other cars on the way down. Georgia authorities have opened an investigation.
Measures announced
After the incident, the company temporarily closed Goliath and eight rides at five other parks. Six Flags chief executive John Reilly wrote on Friday that what happened had deeply affected everyone at the company and that safety has always been fundamental to the guest experience.
Seatbelts will also be added to coasters with a similar restraint, though an exact list has not been made clear. Goliath uses a lap bar that locks over the rider's waist, a design by Bolliger & Mabillard. The park has also commissioned an independent review of safety procedures for all its attractions.
"I know trust is earned through actions and not words," Reilly said, adding that the company will keep reporting on its progress.
Other legal pressure
The incident comes as Six Flags faces a lawsuit over alleged bodily harm on its X2 ride at Magic Mountain. A recent CNN investigation found a long history of brain injuries and at least two deaths linked to the ride. A group of former riders who say they suffered brain injuries on X2 accuses the park, in court documents, of operating a defective coaster and of negligence for keeping it running. Six Flags permanently closed X2 in September.
