Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced Friday that it will install seat belts on several of its major roller coasters, including the ride where a 42-year-old man fell to his death earlier this month. The decision to add secondary safety restraints comes as investigators continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia.
The safety upgrades will specifically target the Goliath roller coaster and other attractions that utilize similar restraint systems. The announcement follows the October 12 death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta, who was ejected from his seat while the coaster was in motion. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing Kariem rise out of his seat and fall headfirst back into the cart before being thrown from the ride. Some individuals who had ridden the Goliath earlier that same day expressed concerns regarding the security of the restraints.
John Reilly, the president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, confirmed that the company is enlisting independent engineers and inspectors to perform a comprehensive review of safety procedures across all its theme parks. “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,” Reilly said in an official statement.
The coasters in question were manufactured by the Swiss engineering firm Bolliger & Mabillard and feature what are known as “clamshell” restraints. These systems consist of a vertical bar positioned between the rider’s knees that locks a padded restraint over the lap and upper legs. When the patent for this system was granted in 2001, the manufacturer described the design as one intended to give riders a sensation of being on a “flying carpet” or “flying scooter” while maintaining high security standards.
In the wake of the tragedy, Six Flags has temporarily shuttered eight additional roller coasters across five other locations in the United States and Canada. The affected parks include those in Gurnee, Illinois; Jackson Township, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mason, Ohio; and Vaughan, Ontario. While Goliath remains closed during the investigation, the company has not provided a specific timeline for when the other eight coasters will return to service.
The safety concerns have resonated beyond Six Flags properties. Both SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal, Canada, temporarily closed coasters that utilize the same Bolliger & Mabillard clamshell restraints. SeaWorld reopened its Mako coaster this past Tuesday after a week-long closure, though it has not yet confirmed if it will follow the Six Flags lead by adding seat belts as a secondary measure. Officials at La Ronde have not yet provided an update on the status of their closed attraction.
State and local authorities are still investigating the specific mechanical or procedural factors that led to Kariem’s death. For now, the focus remains on the implementation of the new seat belt systems as a redundant layer of protection for riders on high-velocity attractions.
