A father died after falling from Georgia’s tallest roller coaster while riding with his son, as his wife and daughter watched in horror from the ground.
The man was aboard the Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia with his son at around 3:58 p.m. Monday when he fell from the train, witnesses said. He struck the ride several times before landing on the roof of a haunted house attraction below.
Several other people were reportedly injured, although officials have not said how many were hurt or disclosed the severity of those injuries.
The theme park was evacuated following the incident.
A witness told 11 Alive that the man’s fall appeared in a souvenir photograph taken on the ride.
“He fell and hit the car three different times,” the witness recalled.
Another witness said the man had been riding with his son, while his wife and daughter were watching from below when the tragedy unfolded.
A third person, who said on Reddit that he was waiting to board, claimed he was next in line when the train involved returned to the station.
Riders were evacuated from the Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia after a man died Monday
Six Flags said similar roller coasters at its other parks across the country have been temporarily closed. The Goliath is pictured
“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 was sitting next to him fell out,” the Reddit user wrote, describing the moment as “very sad and surreal.”
Video showed ride operators evacuating passengers four at a time, helping them leave the cars and reach a nearby staircase.
According to footage posted on social media, the riders had been stranded on a steep section of the track after the attraction was shut down.
A Six Flags spokesperson said officials were “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 spokesperson said. The company added that it was providing support to affected guests and employees.
“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.”
The theme park was closed after the tragedy as law enforcement officers responded to the scene
“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 Stallings was coordinating with Cobb County police and park security in response to the incident.
‘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.’
Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid also called it a ‘terrible tragedy’ as she announced that the man’s next of kin have been notified about his untimely passing.
‘I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one,’ she said, asking the public to ‘please keep in your thoughts the family of the deceased, those who were injured, the employees and leadership of Six Flags and our community.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: IDF Forces in Disguise Raid Hospital and Kill Hamas Leader, Pro-Hamas Libs Freak Out – NewsFinale
‘We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories,’ Cupid said.
The Goliath, which was manufactured by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, opened at the park in 2006. It reaches speeds of 70mph with an elevation of 200 feet
The man had reportedly ridden the Goliath rollercoaster with his son while his wife and daughter watched from below
It remains unclear what may have caused the tragedy.
The Goliath, which was manufactured by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, opened at the park in 2006. It reaches speeds of 70mph with an elevation of 200 feet.
Six Flags has now closed similar rides throughout the country as the investigation continues.
‘Out of an abundance of caution we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks,’ park officials said in a statement.
‘The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Six Flags Over Georgia for more information.
Christopher Hawley (center), 22, died after riding the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Mountain Magic with his brother and cousin in 2022
Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced last month it was demolishing its notorious X2 rollercoaster
Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, seen left, collapsed after the ride and had massive brain bleeding, while Pamela Guillen, 40, seen right suffered severe brain hemorrhages after riding the X2
The tragedy on Monday 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 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.
Another woman, 40-year-old Pamela Guillen, suffered severe brain hemorrhages after riding the X2 at Six Flags in Valencia, California.
Her daughter, Camille Marquez, told CNN: ‘We got off the cart and we saw my mom. She looked lifeless. Not a thought behind her eyes, nothing.’
More lawsuits would be filed in the coming weeks, the lawyers then vowed.