Austell, Oct 15:
One person has died and several others were injured in an incident involving a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, near Atlanta, on Monday afternoon, police said.
The incident occurred at the amusement park in Georgia, around 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Atlanta. The Cobb County Police Departmentās major crimes unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officials have not confirmed the exact cause of the death or the nature of the injuries sustained by others.
Witness accounts and subsequent reports indicated that the fatal incident involved the Goliath roller coaster. The victim was identified as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. Police said he was thrown from the ride and struck other patrons before falling below the attraction.
Six Flags said park staff and local authorities responded immediately and that it was cooperating fully with the investigation. The company also temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across six amusement parks as a precaution. The incident comes amid wider scrutiny of amusement-ride safety following lawsuits involving alleged serious injuries at other Six Flags attractions.