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SHAH ALAM – A man has died and several others were injured in an incident involving a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in the United States on Monday.
The Cobb County Police Department said the incident occurred at about 3.58pm local time on Oct 12, USA Today reported.
Police have not officially identified the ride involved, but local television stations reported that it was the Goliath roller coaster.
Witnesses told broadcasters they saw a man fall from the attraction, while one witness told Atlanta television station 11Alive that he struck the ride three times during the fall, according to reports by The Guardian and BBC.
The witness account has not been confirmed by investigators.
In a statement, Six Flags said it was “deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today” and extended its condolences to the victim’s family, friends and loved ones.
The theme park operator said its team and local authorities responded immediately and that it was cooperating fully with the investigation.
“Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time,” the company said, as quoted by USA Today.
Following the incident, Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six of its amusement parks as a precaution, The Guardian reported.
A spokesperson said the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution” while the company and authorities investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Goliath, which opened in 2006, reaches speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (113 kilometres per hour) and stands about 200 feet (61 metres) tall, according to the park’s website.
