Full Breakdown
Six Flags Adds Seat Belts to Goliath Coaster After Rider Fatality
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
A 42-year-old rider, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta, was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and died after falling headfirst onto the track. Witnesses reported seeing him rise out of his seat before being thrown from the car. The cause of the ejection has not been determined by investigators.
Safety Upgrade Announcement
Within two weeks of the fatality, Six Flags announced that seat belts will be installed on Goliath and on any other coasters that use a similar restraint system. The company also engaged independent engineers and inspectors to review safety procedures across all its parks. The upgrades target rides that employ the clamshell restraint design patented by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard in 2001.
Parkwide Ride Closures
In response to the incident, Six Flags temporarily shut down eight additional roller coasters at five U.S. and Canadian locations. All nine affected coasters share the Bolliger & Mabillard clamshell restraint. Outside the Six Flags chain, SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronde in Montreal each closed one coaster that uses the same restraint, though SeaWorld’s Mako coaster reopened after a week of downtime.
Official Statement
He did not specify which other coasters will receive seat belts, and Six Flags has not provided a timeline for reopening the closed rides.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation