A visitor died Monday and several others were injured during a disturbing incident involving Goliath, the tallest roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Witnesses told 11Alive that the man fell from the ride, struck the coaster several times and then landed on the ground. The park was subsequently evacuated.
One witness told reporter Cody Alcorn that the fall appeared in a souvenir photograph taken at the park.
“He fell and hit the car three different times,” the witness said.
A Reddit user also said they were waiting in line to board the roller coaster when the incident occurred.
“The train pulled into the station, all the riders were distressed, and a man who was sitting next to the person who died was screaming that whoever had been beside him had fallen out,” the user wrote, describing the moment as “very sad and surreal.”
As the response continued, riders were evacuated from the coaster four at a time. Employees helped them leave the cars and reach a nearby staircase.
Social media footage showed that the riders had been stranded on an incline near the middle of the ride after the coaster was shut down.
Riders were evacuated from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia after a man died at the park Monday
Six Flags officials said park employees and local authorities responded immediately after a man fell from Goliath. The theme park is pictured here
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” a Six Flags spokesperson told the Daily Mail. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends and loved ones.”
The spokesperson added that the company was providing support to guests and employees affected by the incident.
“The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation,” the spokesperson said.
“Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”
Mableton Mayor Michael Owens said city officials were “deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Six Flags Over Georgia today.”
“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the individual’s family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” Owens said in a statement. He added that Mableton Public Safety Director Dr. Kerry Stalling was coordinating with Cobb County police and park security.
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“We are grateful to the personnel responding to this incident, and we will continue to support coordination with the appropriate authorities,” the mayor said.
“Out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation, we will refrain from commenting further at this time.”
Authorities have not said what led to the fatal incident.
Christopher Hawley, 22, center, died in 2022 after riding the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Mountain Magic with his brother and cousin
Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced last month it was demolishing its notorious X2 rollercoaster
The Goliath, which was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, opened at the park in 2006. It reaches speeds of 70mph with an elevation of 200 feet.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Six Flags Over Georgia for more information.
The tragedy comes just one month after Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced it was demolishing its notorious X2 rollercoaster.
‘While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,’ park President Brian Oerding said in an online announcement.
‘Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.’
The theme park had settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three other lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed.
The ride had then been closed since the evening of July 12, after two women who rode the coaster less than a week apart needed to be rushed to the hospital.
One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside the skull that required emergency brain surgery.
She now remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator.
Her family has filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf, with her attorneys saying that more than 100 people have claimed they suffered brain injuries from the roller coaster over the past two years.
More lawsuits would be filed in the coming weeks, the lawyers then vowed.