Following the October 12 death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem at Six Flags Over Georgia, the company has announced a significant safety overhaul. six Flags CEO John Reilly confirmed that seat belts will be installed on the Goliath coaster and other rides utilizing similar restraint systems.
The fatal ejection at Six Flags Over Georgia
The tragedy occurred in Mableton, Georgia, when 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was ejected from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster. According to the report, witnesses observed the rider rise from his seat and fall headfirst into the cart before being thrown from the ride. Some passengers who rode Goliath earlier that day reportedly expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of the restraints. While state and local officials continue their investigation into the death, the Goliath coaster remains closed to the public.
In response to the incident, John Reilly stated that Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is reinforcing safety precautions at its parks and taking additional measures. This includes the enlistment of independent engineers and inspectors to conduct a comprehensive review of safety procedures for all rides across the Six Flags network.
Nine Bolliger & Mabillard coasters shuttered across North America
The incident has triggered a wave of ride closures across the continent, specifically targeting rides manufactured by the Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard. As the report states, eight of these coasters are currently offline at Six Flags locations in Gurnee, Illinois; Jackson Township, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mason, Ohio; and Vaughan, Ontario. The safety concerns have extended beyond the Six Flags brand, with SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal, Canada, also temporarily closing rides that utilize similar clamshell restraint systems.
While SeaWorld Orlando has arleady reopened its Mako coaster as of Tuesday , the status of other shuttered rides remains uncertain. As reported by the Associated Press, officials at La Ronde have been contacted for updates regarding their closed attractions, but no definitive timeline for reopening has been provided for the various affected parks.
The 2001 patent and the 'flying carpet' sensation
At the heart of the safety review is the specific "clamshell" restraint design used by Bolliger & Mabillard. This system features a padded restraint that locks over the rider's lap and upper legs, positioned between a vertical bar at the knees. A U.S. patent granted to Bolliger & Mabillard in 2001 explains that the design was intended to provide a sensation of riding a "flying carpet" or a "flying scooter."
While this design aims to maximize the thrill of the ride by reducing the feeling of being physically restricted, the recent fatality at Six Flags Over Georgia has prompted a reevaluation of whether these restraints provide sufficient security without supplemental seat belts.. The tension between providing a high-adrenaline, "free" sensation and ensuring absolute passenger containment is now at the center of the investigation.
What investigators still haven't determined about the Goliath failure
Despite the rapid response from Six Flags, several critical questions remain unanswered. Investigators have not yet released a definitive cause for why the restraint failed to hold Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem in his seat. Additionally, while John Reilly announced that seat belts will be installed on Goliath and "similar" coasters, the company has not provided a specific list of which other rides will receive the upgrade.
Furthermore, there is no clear timeline for when the shuttered coasters in locations like Gurnee, Illinois, or Vaughan, Ontario, will be permitted to reopen. It also remains unknown if SeaWorld Orlando or La Ronde will follow the Six Flags lead by implementing similar seat belt mandates on their own Bolliger & Mabillard attractions.
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