Six Flags Shuts Down Goliath Roller Coaster After Fatal Georgia Incident

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has temporarily closed its Goliath roller coaster following a fatal incident at a Six Flags park in Georgia on Monday. The company has also shut down nine similar rides across six of its parks as a precaution.

A spokesperson for Six Flags stated, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks. The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities.” There is currently no timeline for when the Goliath ride in California will reopen.

The incident in Georgia, which occurred at a Six Flags park in Cobb County, Atlanta, resulted in the death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42. Witnesses reported that Kariem was ejected from the ride, striking other parkgoers before falling beneath the attraction. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain is a prominent attraction, standing 235 feet tall with a 255-foot drop into an underground tunnel. It reaches speeds of up to 85 mph and features numerous twists and turns. The park has not provided any indication of when the ride will resume operation.

This closure comes shortly after Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently retired its X2 roller coaster in late September. The X2 closure followed numerous claims from riders alleging that the attraction caused severe injuries. In one documented case, a 25-year-old woman was reportedly on a ventilator for two months after allegedly sustaining a catastrophic brain injury on the X2 coaster in July. Her parents claim the ride caused a traumatic brain injury requiring emergency surgery. Doctors have suggested that injuries on the X2 coaster may be linked to rapid acceleration-deceleration forces experienced during the ride.