Full Breakdown
X2 Roller Coaster Closed After Two Riders Required Emergency Brain Surgery
8/28/2026, 3:00:54 AM
Core Event
On July 12, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced the indefinite closure of its X2 “4D” roller coaster after two women suffered severe brain hemorrhages that required emergency neurosurgery. The first incident on July 5 involved Pamela Guillen, 40, who struck her head against the headrest as the coaster reached near-80 mph, later undergoing skull surgery. Six days later, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, lost consciousness and was placed in a coma following emergency brain surgery. Treating neurosurgeons described the injuries as “traumatic rapid acceleration-deceleration events” comparable to high-speed vehicle collisions.
Background & Context
X2, opened in 2002, is a high-speed “4D” coaster with near-vertical drops and seats that rotate 360 degrees independently of the track. A CNN investigation linked the ride to more than a dozen injuries, two fatalities (Christopher Hawley in 2022 and Hilda Farias in 2010), and at least 70 documented head or neck complaints between 2019 and 2022.
Data & Statistics
- Two riders required emergency neurosurgery within a six-day span.
- Over a dozen injury reports and two fatalities have been associated with X2 since its debut.
- Internal Six Flags records show at least 70 head-and-neck injury complaints from 2019 to 2022.
- The ride reaches speeds of approximately 80 mph and subjects riders to rapid linear acceleration combined with multi-axis rotational torque.
Official Statements & Responses
A Six Flags spokesperson confirmed that the coaster “remains closed at this time,” noting visible signage warning of inherent risks, regular testing, and compliance with industry safety regulations. Attorneys for Six Flags argued that the forces generated by X2 are insufficient to cause brain injury in a “normal” rider when used “as instructed,” suggesting individual negligence may have contributed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Neurosurgeons attribute the injuries to rapid acceleration-deceleration events on the ride. Six Flags legal counsel maintains that the ride’s forces are not strong enough to cause such injuries in a properly restrained rider, implying rider behavior or pre-existing conditions may be responsible. No independent third-party investigation results have been released, leaving the precise biomechanical cause unresolved.
What’s Next
Park management has suspended X2 operations while state safety inspectors and engineering teams evaluate the coaster’s control systems and structural dynamics. Regulators are reviewing whether existing safety thresholds for extreme g-force exposure adequately address the ride’s complex multi-axis rotation. The outcome of these inspections will determine whether X2 can be reopened or if further regulatory action will be required.
