From BBC News · · 2m
Man dies after ejection from Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags
A 42-year-old Atlanta resident was ejected from the Goliath ride at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, striking other riders before falling beneath the attraction. One person died and others were injured.
In brief
A 42-year-old Atlanta resident was ejected from the Goliath ride at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, striking other riders before falling beneath the attraction. One person died and others were injured. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, forty-two, died after being ejected from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over…
Death at Six Flags Over Georgia
One person died and others were injured after an incident on a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, about fifteen miles from Atlanta, on Monday.
Man ejected from Goliath ride
Aerial footage showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway with riders being helped off by workers. Horrified witnesses told local media they saw a man ejected from the ride.
Victim identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem
The Cobb County Police Department identified the man as Atlanta resident Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, forty-two. Officers found him beneath the ride, unresponsive and not breathing.
Police account of the incident
Police said preliminary information indicates Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction. The incident happened just before four pm local time.
“Preliminary information gathered through witness and employee interview indicates Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction.”
Witness accounts of chaos
One witness said Kariem came loose from his seat, struck the rollercoaster and fellow riders, then fell onto a nearby haunted house roof.
Goliath's specifications and history
The Goliath ride opened in two thousand six. It has an elevation of two hundred feet, a one hundred seventy foot plunge, a five hundred forty degree spiral, and a speed of up to seventy…
Lack of federal regulation
Brian Avery, a University of Florida professor, told the BBC that rollercoasters are not federally regulated, leaving it to states to determine necessary safety protocols and maintenance procedures.
“When these types of tragedies happen, you got to get to the bottom as to why, so we can move forward and address those issues so that they never happen again.”
Six Flags closes X2 after injury claims
Six Flags announced it would close the X2 rollercoaster at its southern California park after more than one hundred people alleged brain injuries from the ride, saying it was the right thing to do.
The bottom line
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, forty-two, died after being ejected from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta on Monday afternoon. Police say he was ejected from the ride, struck other patrons, and fell beneath the attraction.
