In short
- One person died and several others were injured in an incident on a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24 km) from Atlanta.
- The Cobb County Police Department said it was investigating the fatality, and police did not specify which ride was involved.
- Six Flags Over Georgia said it was “deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today”.
- The Goliath rollercoaster, which opened in 2006, has a 200ft (60m) elevation, a 170ft plunge and a top speed of 70mph (112km/h).
- Six Flags runs 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks and nine resorts across Canada, the US and Mexico.
One person has died and several others were injured in an incident on a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24 km) from Atlanta, the Cobb County Police Department said. Police did not specify which ride was involved, but aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, with riders being helped off by workers.
What happened at Six Flags Over Georgia?
The Cobb County Police Department said it was investigating the fatality at the park, in the US state of Georgia. The park said it was “deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today” and that its “thoughts and heartfelt condolences” were with the guest’s family, friends and loved ones.
A park spokesperson said its team and local authorities had responded immediately and were co-operating on an investigation into the incident. Mableton Mayor Michael Owens said the city’s public safety director was co-ordinating with local police and park security on the situation.
What have witnesses said?
Witnesses told local media they saw a man ejected from the ride, accounts that have not been verified. Local outlet 11Alive quoted a witness saying the man fell from the rollercoaster on to the roof of a haunted house attraction. Officials have not said how the person was killed.
What do we know about the Goliath rollercoaster?
The Goliath opened in 2006 and has an elevation of 200ft (60m), a 170ft plunge, a 540-degree spiral and a speed of up to 70mph (112km/h), according to the park’s website. Six Flags ranks the ride at level four out of five on its “thrill scale”.
What is Six Flags?
Six Flags is the largest amusement park operator in North America, with 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks and nine resorts across Canada, the US and Mexico.
What happened at Six Flags’ California park?
Weeks before the incident in Georgia, one of Six Flags’ parks in southern California announced it would close the popular X2 rollercoaster after more than 100 people alleged brain injuries from the ride. Six Flags said the ride had passed a range of safety tests, but that it had decided to retire it because it was “the right thing to do”.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed or injured at Six Flags Over Georgia?
One person died and several others were injured in the incident on a rollercoaster, according to the Cobb County Police Department, which said it was investigating the fatality.
Which ride was involved in the Six Flags Over Georgia incident?
Police did not specify which ride was involved. Aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, with workers helping riders off.
What is the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags?
The Goliath opened in 2006 and, according to the park’s website, has an elevation of 200ft (60m), a 170ft plunge, a 540-degree spiral and a top speed of 70mph (112km/h). Six Flags ranks it at level four out of five on its thrill scale.
What did witnesses say about the incident?
Witnesses told local media they saw a man ejected from the ride, and 11Alive quoted one witness saying the man fell on to the roof of a haunted house attraction. The accounts have not been verified.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)