Overview
- On Oct. 12 a 42-year-old rider, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and later died while four other riders, all minors, were treated for injuries.
- Six Flags disclosed on Friday, Oct. 23 that it will install seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with similar clamshell lap-bar restraints and that it has hired independent engineers and ride inspection specialists for a portfolio-wide review.
- Goliath and several Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoasters at other Six Flags parks were taken offline as a precaution and will remain closed until they pass safety reviews and regulatory clearances.
- State and local authorities, with cooperation from the manufacturer, are conducting technical and criminal inquiries but have not released a definitive mechanical cause and eyewitness claims of a loose or raised restraint remain unconfirmed.
- The incident spotlights the clamshell lap-bar design used on many B&M hypercoasters, the patchwork of state-level ride oversight, and the wider reputational and legal pressures on Six Flags that could prompt longer inspections, retrofits, and changes to operator training.