Riders at Playland’s Castaway Cove in Ocean City, New Jersey, experienced a terrifying ordeal on July 5 when the Wipe Out ride malfunctioned, leaving them suspended upside down for five to seven minutes. The incident occurred mid-cycle, prompting screams from the stranded passengers.
A video of the malfunction, which has circulated online, captured one rider yelling, “Get me down.” Another woman attempted to reassure the rider, saying, “You’re alright, honey, you’re alright.”
Caitlin Gulli, a mother of three, witnessed the event and expressed concern, noting that this was the second ride that evening to experience a malfunction. "I was very concerned about this safety of my three children, who were all riding rides that night," she said.
The cause of the ride's breakdown remains unknown. The Wipe Out ride lifts passengers into the air on an arm and spins them, featuring high-intensity inversions.
Playland's Castaway Cove, which describes itself as Ocean City's oldest amusement park, operates 32 rides. The park previously experienced a significant incident in January 2021 when a four-alarm fire damaged its arcade, leading to a temporary closure.