One person has died and several others have been injured following an incident involving a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park in the United States.
The incident occurred at the park in Cobb County, about 24 kilometres from Atlanta, with local authorities launching an investigation into the fatality.
Although police have not identified the ride involved, aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway through its track, with park employees assisting riders off the attraction.
Witnesses told local media they saw a man being ejected from the ride. However, these accounts have not been independently verified. Local broadcaster 11Alive reported that a witness claimed the man fell onto the roof of a haunted house attraction.
The circumstances surrounding the death have not yet been confirmed.
In a statement, Six Flags Over Georgia said it was deeply saddened by the incident and extended its condolences to the deceased’s family and loved ones.
The park said its staff and local authorities responded immediately and are co-operating with the ongoing investigation.
Mableton Mayor Michael Owens confirmed that the city’s public safety director was co-ordinating with police and park security.
The Goliath rollercoaster opened in 2006 and reaches heights of 200 feet, with a 170-foot drop and speeds of up to 112 kilometres per hour, according to the park’s website.
The incident comes weeks after another Six Flags park in southern California announced the closure of its X2 rollercoaster following claims by more than 100 people that they had suffered brain injuries while riding the attraction.
Six Flags said the ride had passed various safety tests but that the decision to retire it was the right thing to do.