Man dies after fall from Six Flags Goliath rollercoaster in Georgia

One person died and several others were injured after a reported fall from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24km) north-west of Atlanta, on 12 October. Witnesses said affiliate WXIA of Atlanta they saw a man fall from the ride. Cobb County police department's major crimes unit has launched an investigation into the death.theguardian.com

The incident prompted Six Flags to temporarily close nine rollercoasters across six amusement parks. A Six Flags spokesperson said similar attractions were closed across their parks "out of an abundance of caution" after the incident at Six Flags Over Georgia. Officials did not confirm how the person died, nor how the others were injured or their conditions. The spokesperson said the park and local authorities responded immediately and that they are fully cooperating with local authorities.aljazeera.com

What witnesses and authorities said

Witnesses who spoke to WXIA said they saw a man fall from the Goliath rollercoaster. "He fell and hit the car three different times," one witness told the station. Authorities and Six Flags did not identify the rollercoaster, but local TV stations showed video of passengers being evacuated from the Goliath coaster. Witnesses saw a man fall from the ride, but authorities have not confirmed how the person died.dw.com

Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb County board of commissioners, said in a statement: "I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one." She added that next of kin have been notified, and that the amusement park is a major part of the county's tourism, bringing visitors from across the south-east.

Goliath opened in 2006 and reaches top speeds of 70mph (about 113 kph) and heights of 200 feet (61 meters), according to the park's website. During about 3 1/2 minutes, riders "navigate through razor-sharp turns and soar over colossal hills", the website states. The park did not identify the ride involved in the incident, but local media showed passengers being evacuated from the Goliath coaster.

The ride and its record

According to the Doan Law Firm, which focuses on amusement park accidents, Monday's death would be at least the seventh to occur at the Georgia theme park. That includes one 2006 incident when a man had a likely heart attack while riding the same roller coaster, Goliath. The Six Flags spokesperson said the company is providing support to the guests and team members impacted by the incident.

The incident comes less than two weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain, in Southern California, announced it is retiring its X2 rollercoaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride. The park had settled one wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022. Last year, a 32-year-old man died after riding a high-speed rollercoaster at the Universal Epic Universe theme park in Florida; he died from blunt impact injuries, and his death was ruled accidental.

Closures and prior lawsuits

Cobb County police in Georgia confirmed its major crimes unit is investigating the death. The Six Flags spokesperson said the company is deeply saddened by the guest incident at the park. Cupid said: "We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories." The investigation into how the person died remains ongoing.