Deadly roller coaster plunge triggers wave of shutdowns as fears spread across US and Canada

A growing list of theme parks have suspended operations on their roller coasters while police and state regulators investigate how a man fell to his death from a ride in Georgia.

On Thursday, SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde theme park in Montreal, Canada, confirmed they had temporarily closed rides, bringing the total to 12 halted roller coasters.

Authorities are working to determine what caused Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old school employee from Atlanta, to fall from the Goliath coaster on Monday. Witnesses reported seeing him ejected from the ride, while previous passengers on the Goliath had raised concerns regarding its restraints.

Ten of the roller coasters taken out of service share the same manufacturer and feature a restraint system similar to the Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Mother raises chilling questions about roller coaster restraints after deadly fall

An increasing number of theme parks have paused roller coaster operations while police and state regulators examine a fatal fall from an attraction in Georgia.

A Georgia amusement park where a man fell to his death from a roller coaster is set to reopen amid a growing safety probe of roller coasters made by the same manufacturer (Getty)

On Thursday, SeaWorld Orlando in Florida, along with the La Ronde theme park in Montreal, Canada, confirmed that it had temporarily shut down attractions, bringing the total of grounded roller coasters to 12.

Officials are trying to determine what caused 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a school employee living in Atlanta, to fall from the Goliath ride on Monday. Onlookers reported seeing him ejected from the coaster, while earlier riders on Goliath had previously expressed concerns regarding its restraints.

Ten of the sidelined roller coasters were made by the same manufacturer and use a restraint system similar to the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Fears spread across North America as 12 roller coasters are shut down

La Ronde in Montreal, Canada, confirmed that its Goliath roller coaster is currently offline “while we conduct a thorough safety review in collaboration with the ride’s manufacturer.”

SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde theme park in Montreal, Canada confirmed on Thursday they had temporarily closed rides, bringing the total number of roller coasters halted to 12 (Getty Images)

Neither La Ronde nor SeaWorld Orlando provided reasons for closing the specific rides. Both attractions were constructed by Bolliger & Mabillard, a Swiss manufacturer that also built the Goliath coaster in Georgia, along with eight other rides recently closed by Six Flags.

On Thursday, Bolliger & Mabillard declined to answer questions regarding the suspensions.

Images and recordings of 10 closed coasters available online show that each is fitted with “clamshell” restraints. These devices feature a central vertical bar positioned between the rider’s knees, which locks a padded bar over the passenger’s lap and upper legs.

The imagery does not make it clear whether any of the 10 rides include secondary safety measures, such as seat belts. The Goliath ride in Georgia includes no backup safety restraints.

Police and a state regulatory agency are investigating what caused Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old school employee from Atlanta, to fall from the Goliath coaster on Monday (AP)

Ride manufacturers determine restraint design by evaluating velocity, g-forces, and track transitions, explained Brian D. Avery, a University of Florida professor and amusement ride safety expert.

While Avery recommends installing secondary restraints for passengers, he noted that the theme park industry continues to debate whether doing so would prolong wait times.

Witness describes horrifying moment rider was thrown from 70mph coaster

A park visitor named Kariem was thrown from his seat and hit other patrons before falling to the ground beneath the ride. The incident occurred on Goliath, a headline attraction at Six Flags Over Georgia located near the park’s entrance. Opened in 2006, the ride features a series of hills and turns.

In this undated photo provided by Kelvin Johnson, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem is shown. Kariem, an Atlanta resident, died after he was thrown from his seat while riding a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia (AP)

Though it does not turn riders upside down, its first hill rises 200 feet (61 meters) and reaches top speeds of 70 miles per hour (112 kilometers).

Nick Mendenhall, who had just ridden Goliath with his son, watched the coaster cars pass overhead. He said Kariem appeared to hover while the car moved underneath him, then fell headfirst back into the coaster and was ejected on the final turn.

In an email, the company said it would have no further comment until it had a “better understanding of what transpired” on Monday.