Witnesses Describe The Shocking Moment A Six Flags Rollercoaster Passenger Fell To His Death
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[This article contains graphic descriptions of eyewitness accounts.]
“You don’t see things like this happen, this should never happen,” said a woman who witnessed a young male die on a popular rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
In the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 12, a male passenger aboard the Goliath rollercoaster at the Six Flags located just outside of Atlanta, in Austell, Georgia, was reportedly killed after falling off of the ride as it neared its end.
Contributing to the horrific incident, the moment he fell from the ride was captured in the commemorative photographs taken at the conclusion of the ride.
A passenger aboard the ride told local 11 Alive, an affiliate of NBC, “His blood splattered over everybody.”
Six Flags is cooperating with authorities as local law enforcement is investigating the matter, ABC News reported.
Further, Six Flags has temporarily closed nine of its rides at six locations, all of which are categorized as hyper-coasters.
As of the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 13, the identity of the victim has not been released, but witnesses are sharing what they experienced as the incident that led to his death unfolded.
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Hear Witnesses Of The Tragedy At Six Flags Saw And Experienced
The ride, which first opened 20 years ago in 2006, scales 200 feet and goes up to 70 mph during its 3.5-minute duration, according to Six Flags’ website.
Describing the incident to local 11 Alive, a husband and wife who were seated at the back of the ride shared what they saw, noting, “We were at the very back, so we saw it all.”
The husband, whose name was not disclosed, told 11 Alive, “We were coming towards the end of Goliath, and a young Black male was ejected from the vehicle [the Goliath rollercoaster]. The vehicle hit him, and he flew back up again and it hit him again, and I guess was flung from the ride.”
Another couple who was aboard the Goliath detailed the incident, noting in their remarks to 11 Alive that the male passenger fell out of the ride and his body hit a woman who was a few rows in front of them as he fell to the ground below.
“He fell onto a girl two rows in front of us,” a female passenger recalled. “He fell and hit the cart [of the Goliath rollercoaster] three different times — they got it right where the pictures at the Goliath is tooken [sic].”
Further, that woman then told 11 Alive that the man’s body falling off the ride was captured in their commemorative Goliath photograph.
Her husband then said, “You can see him above us flying off the cart in the picture.”
Continuing, the woman alleged that security “did not care,” stating, “We got to the end of the ride and they would not let us off. They kept us on the ride for like five minutes and would not let us off.”
The man who died was reportedly on the ride with his son while his wife and daughter were waiting for them to finish the ride.
In a statement released to ABC News, Six Flags said:
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.”
Presently, the park is closed for majority of weekdays on its off-season schedule, with Six Flags Over Georgia scheduled to open again to the public this Friday, Oct. 16, with the park offering several Halloween festivities.
Responding to news of the tragedy, Cobb County Commission Chair Lisa Cupid said in an Oct. 12 statement, “Cobb County Police officers responded immediately, and detectives with the Major Crimes Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident. The County is working closely with Six Flags Over Georgia and other appropriate partners as the investigation proceeds.”
She went on to say, “I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one. Additional information will be released by law enforcement as it is confirmed.”
Cupid concluded her statement, saying, “Six Flags Over Georgia is a significant part of our tourism landscape, drawing visitors from across our county, our state, and the Southeast. I look forward to learning more as the investigation unfolds.”
Listen to guests aboard the Goliath during this tragic incident detail what they witnessed, here:
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