A teacher who plummeted to his death from a Six Flags over Georgia roller coaster passed out before being ejected from the ride, his traumatized niece has claimed.
Hassan Kariem, 42, was killed at the theme park in Austell, Georgia, on Monday, after he was thrown from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster. Four others were injured.
His niece, Navi, who was celebrating her 13th birthday, had been sitting next to him when the tragedy unfolded, her father Joshua Nelson told WSB.
'She said he fainted or passed, her words were "he passed out" … and she said it went up again and his, his latch, I guess, snapped or came, came loose and he fell,' Nelson said.
Although he believes Kariem died in a 'freak accident,' Nelson said there is part of him wondering if the tragedy could have been prevented.
He has taken in solace in knowing that his brother-in-law had a good conversation with Navi just before the ride took off.
Nelson said the late teacher was excited to share Goliath with Navi because it was his favorite ride. He told his niece they were going to have fun on the coaster and asked her to hold his sunglasses.
'That's just kind of what I've been holding on to, hoping that that's the last thing he remembers,' Nelson added. 'I do hope that he didn't feel any pain. And the last thing that he can recall was that moment of happiness.'
Hassan Kariem, 42, 'passed out' before he plummeted to his death off of the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags in Georgia on Monday, his niece has claimed
Kariem, an education technology professional at Wesley International Academy, was at the park to celebrate the 13th birthday of his fiancée's niece
Witnesses to the gruesome incident on Monday said Kariem flew out of his seat and collided with the ride's metal frame a number of times before falling to the ground, leaving several of them covered in his blood.
Others alleged the restraints on the roller coaster were making a 'weird clicking' noise – prompting park staff to check the restraints 'multiple times' before the ride took off.
Logan Conner, a man on the same ride carriage as Kariem, said passengers made 'direct eye contact' with him as he fell head-first out of the roller coaster.
He described how Kariem 'levitated' briefly before he fell.
Images of the educator falling over other passengers and flying head-first into the ride have since gone viral on social media. His family have pleaded with people to stop sharing the photos.
An investigation has been launched into Kariem's death. State officials and Cobb County Major Crimes detectives are evaluating the coaster's lap bar restraints, locking mechanisms and computerized safety sensors, FOX 5 reported.
A Six Flags spokesperson previously told the Daily Mail in a statement: '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.
'The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation.'
Kariem was killed after he was thrown from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster in front of horrified passengers (stock image of the ride)
Joshua Nelson told WSB that his daughter Navi, who was riding next to Kasiem, said the teacher 'fainted or passed, her words were "he passed out" … and she said it went up again and his, his latch, I guess, snapped or came, came loose and he fell'
The spokesperson said the park was providing support for anyone affected and would not be immediately commenting further 'out of respect for the family's privacy.'
Six Flags was closed Tuesday through Thursday. The park is reopening as scheduled Friday evening, though Goliath is not expected to be running.
At least 11 roller coasters in the US and Canada were temporarily closed after Kariem's death, nine of which were manufactured by the company that built Goliath and with similar restraints.
Online photos and videos of most of the closed coasters show each equipped with clamshell restraints, which are mounted in front of each seat on a vertical bar that sits between the rider's knees.
The bar locks the padded restraint into place over the rider's lap and upper legs.
It's unclear from the images whether any of those coasters also have seat belts or other secondary restraints. Goliath in Georgia has no such backup restraints.
Bollinger & Mabillard, the company that manufactured Goliath, said in an email it would have no further comment until it had a 'better understanding of what transpired' on Monday.
The Goliath, which is the tallest roller coaster in Georgia, has been closed indefinitely.
According to Nelson, the Goliath was one of Kariem's favorite rides
The Goliath roller coaster reaches top speeds of 70mph and climbs over 200 feet in the air, making it the tallest roller coaster in Georgia
'Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks. The safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority,' Six Flags spokesperson Sara Gorgon said in a statement to the Daily Mail.
In addition, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has closed the following roller coasters: Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois; Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey; Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario; Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds in North Carolina and South Carolina; and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island in Ohio.
Mako at SeaWorld Orlando has also been closed, according to WFTV.