Six Flags has temporarily suspended operations of nine rides across six of its parks following a fatal incident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. The operator confirmed the closures were enacted out of an abundance of caution while an investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing.
The victim, 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta, was killed on Monday after falling from his seat on the hypercoaster, a ride known for reaching speeds of 70 mph and heights of 200 feet. Local police reported that several other individuals sustained injuries during the event. Witnesses, including Nick Mendenhall, who had been on the ride shortly before the incident, described seeing the man exit his seat in what appeared to be slow motion. According to everything felt like it was happening in slow motion,”, Nick Mendenhall, who had ridden Goliath just minutes beforehand with his teenage son. “It was just surreal seeing it happen.
A spokesperson for Six Flags stated that the company is fully cooperating with investigators and expressed profound sadness regarding the tragedy. The spokesperson emphasized that the safety of guests and team members remains a top priority, though the company declined to identify the specific rides currently offline. Reports indicate the Nitro coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey is among those suspended.
Six Flags Over Georgia remained closed on Tuesday for a previously scheduled non-operating day. This development follows a recent, unrelated decision by Six Flags to permanently close its X2 roller coaster at Magic Mountain in Southern California, a move prompted by litigation involving allegations of serious brain injuries. The company has not provided commentary on that pending legal matter.
Legal and risk expert Brian Avery, a professor at the University of Florida, noted that investigators will scrutinize maintenance records, surveillance footage, and statements from personnel to determine the root cause of the Georgia incident. He highlighted the technical complexity of building an accurate understanding of how such a mechanical or human failure could occur. All of these are clues to kind of build to the root cause and trying to come to an actual understanding as to why this would have occurred,” he said.
While acknowledging that incidents involving roller coasters are statistically rare, Avery called for increased federal oversight to ensure safety standards remain consistent across the industry. He argued that current operations could benefit from greater uniformity, suggesting that all parks should be required to follow the same set of operational guidelines.
The financial impact of the event was immediate, with shares of Six Flags sliding 16% in the wake of the news. Authorities are continuing their work to establish the full circumstances surrounding Monday’s accident.
