US theme park chain adds restraints after fatal accident
Six Flags plans to install additional safety belts on several rollercoasters as the investigation into the accident in Georgia continues.
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Six Flags is to add safety belts to the Goliath rollercoaster in Georgia and to similar rides at other parks. The decision follows the death of a visitor who died during a ride earlier this month.
According to Six Flags, the measure was announced on Friday by John Reilly, chairman of Six Flags Entertainment. The company said Goliath would remain closed until safety checks and approvals had been completed. The rollercoaster is at Six Flags Over Georgia, near Atlanta.
The visitor died during a ride on 12 October. The name Hassan K. has not been confirmed. US authorities are still investigating exactly what happened and whether the ride and the safety equipment used complied with regulations. No definitive conclusion has therefore been reached about the cause of the accident.
Six Flags said it was also tightening other safety measures alongside the safety belts. The company cited greater attention to procedures, training, maintenance and inspections, among other things. According to the company’s own statement, eight other rides at five parks have also been temporarily closed as a precaution.
According to Atlanta News First, the Goliath in Georgia uses a restraint that closes mainly over the upper body and lap. Atlanta News First reported that not all comparable rollercoasters in the chain already have a safety belt alongside that restraint. Six Flags has not said that the existing structure itself caused the accident.
The announced modification is provisionally regarded as a decision by the operator, rather than a new nationwide US safety standard. Whether regulators will impose additional requirements will become clear from the ongoing investigation. It is also not yet known when Goliath will reopen.
The incident affects more than one park. Six Flags said the additional belts would also be installed on other rides with a similar type of restraint. The chain is thereby opting for a broader technical modification, although its precise scope and timetable have not yet been fully worked out.
For visitors, the main immediate change is that Goliath will remain closed. According to the company, Six Flags’ other rides will largely remain open, but the operator stressed that inspections and local approvals will determine when closed rides can reopen.
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Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central claims have been confirmed by Six Flags and independent reporting. The cause of the accident and possible new government rules are explicitly presented as uncertain.
- confirmed Six Flags is adding safety belts to Goliath and comparable rollercoasters. — Stated in Six Flags’ official statement and reported by AP. source
- confirmed Goliath will remain closed during safety checks and approvals. — Confirmed by Six Flags and AP. source
- confirmed A visitor died during a ride on 12 October. — Reported by AP and Atlanta News First. source
- confirmed The cause of the accident has not yet been definitively established. — The cited sources report that authorities’ investigation is ongoing. source
- confirmed Eight other rides at five parks have been temporarily closed as a precaution. — Included in Six Flags’ official park statement. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Six Flags announced additional safety belts and that Goliath will remain closed during the investigation and inspections. The cause of the accident and any consequences for regulations have not yet been established.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „achtbanen six flags”
- de Volkskrant — „achtbanen six flags”
- RTL Nieuws — „achtbanen six flags”