One person died and several others were injured in an incident at a theme park in the US state of Georgia. The park in question is Six Flags Over Georgia, whose management announced that staff had found the man at the base of the ride.
The victim was identified on Tuesday as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariyah from Atlanta. According to available information, Mr Ibn Kariyah died after falling from his seat, while several other people were injured. When he was found, he was unresponsive and not breathing. One man who was also on the slide described the incident as "extremely bizarre and traumatic".
Although authorities and the park's management have not specified which slide was involved, video footage shows the evacuation of passengers from the Goliath ride. Cobb County police stated that their major crimes unit has launched an investigation into Mr Ibn Kariyah's death. It is not yet known what led to the fatal accident, nor the condition of the other injured parties.
Mr Ibn Kariyah was the father of a 10-year-old daughter and worked in education in Atlanta. According to local schools, he began his career as a technology teacher at Wesley International Academy, before moving up to the position of IT manager. "Atlanta Public Schools extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mr Ibn Kariyah," a spokesperson for the schools said. "He was a valued member of the Wesley International Academy and APS family, and his presence and influence will be deeply missed by our students, staff and all those whose lives he has touched."
Mr Ibn Kariyah's family told 11Alive that he had overcome numerous challenges in his life, including two battles with cancer, the most recent in 2018. The family also stated that he and his daughter had survived a car fire three weeks previously, in which they were not injured.
Following Mr Ibn Kariyah's death, Six Flags closed nine slides across six of its parks. The incident occurred less than two weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain in southern California announced the permanent closure of its famous X2 ride following lawsuits alleging that the ride caused serious brain injuries. The park had previously settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the slide in 2022. Last year, a 32-year-old man died after riding a fast track at Universal Epic Universe in Florida, with his death ruled an accident due to blunt force trauma.
According to local Atlanta television stations, Six Flags Over Georgia remains closed due to a seasonal schedule, with an expected reopening on Friday.
