Six Flags to add seat belts to Goliath after fatal fall in Georgia
The company also plans to add belts to other coasters with similar restraints and has commissioned a review of safety procedures across its parks.
Six Flags said on October 23 that it would add seat belts to the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and to other rides with similar restraints, following the October 12 death of a rider who was ejected from Goliath. The decision extends the company's safety response beyond the Georgia park, where the ride remains closed during an investigation.
The rider was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta. State and local officials are investigating his death, and investigators have not said what went wrong on the coaster, the Associated Press reported. Witnesses told the AP they saw Kariem rise out of his seat and fall headfirst back into the car before he was ejected. Some people who rode Goliath earlier that day raised concerns about its restraints.
Which Six Flags coasters are closed
In addition to Goliath, Six Flags has temporarily closed eight coasters at five other parks in the United States and Canada, according to the AP. All nine were made by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and have similar clamshell restraints, which lock a padded bar over riders' laps and upper legs. The other closures affect parks in Gurnee, Illinois; Jackson Township, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mason, Ohio; and Vaughan, Ontario.
Six Flags chief executive John Reilly said the company was adding belts to Goliath and coasters with similar restraints. He did not identify all the rides that will receive them or give an installation timetable. The company has not said when the closed coasters will reopen. More than 220 of its roller coasters remained in operation as of Friday, NBC News reported, citing Six Flags.
Safety review across Six Flags parks
Reilly said Six Flags had engaged independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to review safety procedures across its parks. The review covers the company's wider portfolio of rides and attractions, according to the company statement quoted by NBC News. The announced seat-belt changes and inspections come while officials are still determining the circumstances of Kariem's death.
The Georgia death also prompted temporary closures beyond Six Flags. SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal each closed a coaster with clamshell restraints, the AP reported. SeaWorld reopened its Mako coaster on Tuesday after a week offline.
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Sources and context
- Six Flags says it will install seat belts on Georgia roller coaster after rider's deathAssociated Press, published by PBS NewsHour
- Six Flags to add seat belts to roller coaster after Georgia man falls to his deathNBC News (Matt Lavietes)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.