Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old man, died Monday afternoon after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. The tragedy in Cobb County has prompted the amusement park operator to temporarily suspend nine similar attractions across six different locations.
The fatal ejection at Six Flags Over Georgia
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was thrown from the Goliath ride during a late Monday afternoon excursion at the Atlanta-area park. As reported by the news report, witnesses described a harrowing scene where the man struck other passengers two rows ahead before falling beneath the structure.
The incident resulted in one death and several injuries to other parkgoers. A Six Flags spokesperson stated that the company is deeply saddened by the tragedy and is cooperating fully with local authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.
Nine coasters shuttered across six major parks
Six Flags has suspended nine high-speed attractions across six different amusement parks as a precautionary measure. the list of closed rides inclludes the Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, and Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.
Additional closures have been implemented at Kings Island in Ohio, Carowinds in North Carolina, and Canada's Wonderland in Ontario. These closures come as the company attempts to manage the immediate safety fallout from the Georgia incident.
A pattern of injury concerns at Magic Mountain's X2
This fatal incident follows a series of safety controversies involving the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The park recently retired the X2 ride in late September following claims from more than 100 riders regarding various injuries.
Lawsuits filed by riedrs, including Naomi Greer-Wilkinson and Pamela Guillen, allege that Six Flags and manufacturer S&S Worldwide relied on outdated maintenance and testing protocols. According to the report, Greer-Wilkinson suffered a severe traumatic brain injury that required emergency surgery, while Guillen reported experiencing a brain bleed after riding the X2 coaster.
What caused the Goliath restraint failure?
Cobb County police have not yet released a definitive cause for why the man was ejected from the Goliath coaster. Investigators are working to determine if the incident was the result of a mechanical failure, a restraint malfunction, or another contributing factor.
Six Flags has not yet provided a timeline for when the affected coasters will be cleared to reopen. The company's current focus remains on the ongoing investigation by local law enforcement and providing support to the guests and team members affected by the tragedy.
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