Six Flags Goliath Roller Coaster Closed for Maintenance Hours Before Fatal Fall
Witnesses reported that the Goliath ride at Six Flags Over Georgia was undergoing maintenance, including test runs, just hours before a man was fatally ejected from the attraction.
The Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia was reportedly closed for maintenance several hours before a fatal incident occurred on the ride, according to witnesses. Hassan Kariem, 42, was violently thrown from his seat on the attraction Monday afternoon, striking the ride structure multiple times before falling to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses Tina Christiansen and Emily Nguyen told The New York Post that they attempted to ride the Goliath at approximately 1 p.m. but were informed it was closed for maintenance. They observed park staff conducting "a couple of maintenance runs," including one instance where a staff member rode the coaster alone in the front row.
Just a few hours later, Kariem fell from the ride in front of other passengers. He struck the ride three times before landing behind a haunted house attraction. Four other individuals on the ride were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities are investigating the incident. State officials and Cobb County Major Crimes detectives are examining the coaster's lap bar restraints, locking mechanisms, and computerized safety sensors, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Some witnesses reported that the restraints were making a "weird clicking" noise, prompting park staff to check them multiple times before the car Kariem was in departed.
Following the tragedy, Six Flags closed the Goliath ride and shut down more than 10 other rollercoasters nationwide as a precautionary measure. Six Flags Over Georgia was scheduled to reopen on Friday.
Theme park expert Robert Niles told Channel 2 that incidents where a person is ejected from a rollercoaster are extremely rare. He suggested that this incident appeared to be related to a potential issue with the ride rather than the guest, pending the results of the investigation. The Goliath rollercoaster has been a feature at Six Flags Over Georgia since 2006.