Six Flags Entertainment Corporation will install seatbelts on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia and eight similar coasters across North America following a fatal accident. The safety upgrade comes as state and local officials investigate the October 12 death of 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem Ejected on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia
The incident occurred on October 12, when 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta was ejected from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, situated outside Atlanta. Witnesses reported that Kariem was thrown from his car, fell and hit the structure of the attraction on three occasions.
Cobb County police identified the victim following the accident. The Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner launched a joint inquiry with county police to determine the cause of the ejection. I assure you that we are not going to leave any stone unturned,
Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said, adding that This is the most serious investigation that we’ve conducted in quite a long time, and we’re going to treat it as such.
Six Flags Closes Nine Coasters and Commits to Restraint Upgrades
In response to the fatal fall, Six Flags suspended operations on nine coasters across six theme parks in the United States and Canada as a preventive measure. While six of the chain’s nine similar rides already featured seatbelts alongside their clamshell-style lap bars, Goliath and two other coasters operated without them.
John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, announced the safety modification in a letter to guests and passholders. We are reinforcing safety precautions at our parks and taking additional measures, including adding seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with a similar restraint,
Reilly wrote in his statement.
The nine affected attractions include Goliath and eight additional roller coasters at other parks in the U.S. and Canada. Outside the Six Flags chain, SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronde in Montreal also temporarily closed their respective clamshell-restraint coasters following the Georgia incident.
Independent Engineers Review Park Safety Standards Across the Chain
Alongside the physical hardware upgrades to its coasters, Six Flags has enlisted independent engineers and ride-inspection professionals to conduct a review of safety procedures across all rides at its theme parks. We are committed to carefully evaluating their findings and taking appropriate action to further strengthen our standards and culture of safety,
Reilly stated regarding the ongoing external audit.
The manufacturer of the restraint system, Bolliger & Mabillard, secured a U.S. patent for the clamshell design in 2001, stating it was engineered to make riders feel that he is seated on a flying carpet or that he is at the controls of a kind of flying scooter, while still guaranteeing optimum security.