Man dies after falling off Georgia roller coaster

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A man has died at Six Flags Over Georgia theme park after falling off a 200-foot-tall roller coaster, CNN reported.

Cobb County Police said one man died and four others were injured Monday afternoon on the park’s Goliath roller coaster ride. Local television stations WSB and 11Alive reported the man died after being thrown from his seat, falling and hitting the ride three times.

Witnesses horrified

One witness said the man’s fall was caught on the souvenir picture taken on the ride.

“He was in our pictures,” the witness said. “He fell and hit the car three different times.”

The witness said the man’s body hit others on the ride before falling onto the roof of a haunted house below.

A woman said the man was on the ride with his son, while the man’s wife and daughter were on the ground.

Another man and woman on the ride saw the man fly from his seat and bounce off the coaster three times.

“We saw it all,” the man said.

“We were having a great time and to just screaming ‘Oh my God, what is happening?'” the woman said. The couple said workers checked the safety harnesses before the ride began.

Park evacuated

The incident left a train of riders behind the affected coaster stuck on a steep 200-foot lift hill incline. The park was evacuated, and news footage showed park workers carefully rescuing riders off of the coaster and down the steep, open-air stairwell leading back down to the ground.

Company issues statement

In a statement, park owner and operator Six Flags, which also owns and operates Canada’s Wonderland, 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.

“The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”

The cause of the incident isn’t yet known. Goliath, manufactured by Bollinger and Mabillard, is classified as a “hypercoaster,” meaning a roller coaster that stands at 200 feet to 300 feet tall. It has a 196-foot drop and reaches speeds of up to 112 km/h. By comparison, Canada’s Wonderland’s Behemoth, manufactured by the same company, is slightly larger and faster, standing at 230 feet tall and reaching speeds of up to 123 km/h.

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