Six Flags to Add Seatbelts to Nine Rollercoasters After Fatal Fall
The decision comes after a rider was ejected from the Goliath rollercoaster and died, with the park CEO vowing to strengthen safety standards.
Six Flags will install seatbelts on nine of its rollercoasters, including the Goliath, following the death of a rider who was ejected from the ride earlier this month. The enhanced safety measure is intended to prevent incidents like the one that killed Hassan Kariem, 42, on October 12.
Kariem was thrown from his seat on the Goliath rollercoaster at the theme park in Austell, Georgia, when his 'clamshell' safety bar unlatched. Four other riders were injured in the incident. The deceased was a teacher who was celebrating his niece's birthday.
Six Flags CEO John Reilly stated that the company is deeply affected by the incident and is committed to reinforcing safety precautions. "We are committed to carefully evaluating their findings and taking appropriate action to further strengthen our standards and culture of safety," Reilly said.
In addition to adding seatbelts to the Goliath and eight other rides with similar restraints, Six Flags is consulting with independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to review its current safety procedures. The Goliath and the other eight rides have been temporarily closed pending safety reviews.
Joshua Nelson, the father of Kariem's niece and an eyewitness to the tragedy, expressed that while he believes it was a "freak accident," he wonders if the event could have been prevented. Nelson recalled Kariem being excited to ride the Goliath with his niece, asking her to hold his sunglasses just before the ride began.
Witnesses reported that Kariem fell head-first after his restraints unlatched, colliding with the ride's metal structure before hitting the ground. Some passengers on the ride claimed to have heard a "weird clicking" noise from the restraints before the ride commenced, prompting park staff to check them multiple times.
An investigation into Kariem's death is ongoing, with state officials and local detectives examining the rollercoaster's restraints, locking mechanisms, and safety sensors. The family of Hassan Kariem has requested that graphic images of the incident circulating on social media be removed.