No modifications being made to Canada's Wonderland roller coasters after Georgia death
· Toronto Sun
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Canada’s Wonderland says there are no plans to modify its rides with extra safety measures after a man was thrown from a roller coaster in Georgia and died.
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Six Flags — which owns Canada’s Wonderland — is adding seat belts to some of its rides after a man was “ejected” from the Goliath roller coaster at its Georgia park and died.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old teacher and father of two, plunged 60 metres from the massive roller coaster on Oct. 12. He was sitting next to his 13-year-old niece on the ride at the time of the incident.
Four children were also injured in the incident, the Cobb County Police Department previously said. They were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Canada’s Wonderland not applicable to reinforced safety measures
Following the horrific incident, Six Flags announced seat belts would be added to the Goliath and rides at its other parks to enhance passenger safety, according to a press release published Friday — but not at Canada’s Wonderland.
“Our hearts remain with the family and loved ones of Hassan Kariem, those injured, and everyone impacted by the tragic incident at Six Flags Over Georgia,” John Reilly, Six Flags president and CEO, said in a statement on Friday.
“What happened has deeply affected all of us at Six Flags,” he added.
“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,” he said in the press release.
Canada’s Wonderland spokesperson Grace Peacock told the Toronto Sun that “no modifications” are planned for rides at the park at this time.
“Leviathan and Behemoth already have seat belts as an additional restraint measure,” she explained.
Experts reviewing current safety procedures
Six Flags closed down the roller coaster after the incident, “pending necessary safety reviews and clearances.”
Rides at their additional parks — including Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland — were “ temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution .”
Reviews of the closed Six Flags attractions remain ongoing, with no timeline provided for reopening.
Reilly noted in the release that “independent engineers and ride inspection specialists” are conducting a comprehensive review of the current safety procedures across all Six Flags parks.
“We are committed to carefully evaluating their findings and taking appropriate action to further strengthen our standards and culture of safety.”
He concluded his statement: “I know trust is earned through actions and not words. As CEO of Six Flags, I take that responsibility personally. We will continue to communicate about our progress and hold ourselves accountable to our commitments to you.”