CNN investigation uncovers X2 brain injuries and at least two deaths
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old father and educator, was thrown from his seat on the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia earlier this month and collided with the ride’s other cars on his way down. The coaster plunges riders 165 feet before a second drop of 180 feet. Six Flags will install seatbelts on the ride before it reopens, and the company announced that coasters with a similar restraint will also receive them, although an exact list remains unclear.
The Goliath features a lap bar that locks over a rider’s waist, a design from Bolliger & Mabillard. John Reilly, the theme park’s chief executive, wrote on Friday: “What happened has deeply affected all of us at Six Flags. Safety has always been fundamental to the experience we provide for our guests.”
“I know trust is earned through actions and not words,” Reilly said. “We will continue to communicate about our progress and hold ourselves accountable to our commitments to you.”
Georgia authorities have launched a probe into Kariem’s death. The fall prompted the park to temporarily close the Goliath and eight rides at five other parks. The park has also commissioned an independent review of the safety procedures for all of its attractions.
The fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia comes as the theme park is being sued over alleged bodily harm from its X2 ride at Magic Mountain. A recent CNN investigation uncovered a long history of brain injuries and at least two deaths linked to the ride. A group of past riders who say they sustained brain injuries on X2 has accused the park of having a defective coaster and negligence for allowing its continued operation, according to court documents. Six Flags permanently shut down the X2 coaster in September.