A person died and several others suffered injuries on Monday afternoon during an incident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, authorities said.
The Cobb County Police Department reported that officers were called to the theme park in Austell, located west of Atlanta, shortly before 4 p.m. Cobb County Police Sgt. E.D. Smith confirmed in a statement that one individual died and several other parkgoers were hurt, adding that investigators from the department’s Major Crimes Unit have launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal event, according to NBC News.
Eyewitnesses Describe Plunge from Goliath Ride
Theme park officials and law enforcement did not immediately disclose the victim’s identity or describe how the fatal injuries occurred. However, witnesses who spoke to local television newsrooms reported seeing an adult male fall from the coaster mid-ride.
Witness Logan Conner told Atlanta NBC affiliate WXIA that he was riding the attraction with his fiancé when he saw the passenger become detached from his seat. Conner described watching the rider travel through the air sideways before the impact occurred. Other witnesses told the station that the man struck parts of the coaster train three separate times as he fell, and one park visitor noted that the fatal plunge appeared in the background of their souvenir ride photograph.
A witness also told WXIA that the man had been riding next to a child, and that blood was visible on the ride train after the impact occurred.
Evacuation and Park Response
Following the incident, the 200-foot-tall hypercoaster halted on an incline, stranding remaining passengers high above the ground. Video footage from the scene showed emergency personnel and park workers escorting riders down an elevated maintenance staircase in groups of four, according to reports by Fox News and WSB-TV.
Six Flags Over Georgia acknowledged the tragedy in a public statement released Monday evening, expressing sorrow over what it termed a guest incident.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” a Six Flags spokesperson said in a statement. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.”
The spokesperson added that park staff and local emergency personnel responded immediately to the scene. The amusement park stated that it is cooperating fully with police investigators and declined to share additional details out of consideration for the family’s privacy.
About the Attraction
Goliath opened at the suburban Atlanta park in 2006. Designed by the Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, the steel hypercoaster reaches speeds up to 70 mph and features a 170-foot drop followed by a secondary 175-foot plunge, according to park specifications.
The deadly incident comes amid broader scrutiny regarding ride safety at Six Flags properties. In September, lawsuits were filed against the company in California over alleged traumatic brain injuries linked to the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, NBC News reported.
Authorities have not yet announced the condition of the injured riders or the official cause of the incident. The Cobb County Police Department said its investigation remains ongoing.
