Six Flags to add seat belts to roller coaster after Georgia man falls to his death

Six Flags said Friday that it will add seat belts to a roller coaster from which a man was ejected and fell to his death earlier this month.

In a press release, the theme park said it is adding seat belts to Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, outside Atlanta, as part of broader new safety measures. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was ejected from the ride and fell to his death Oct. 12.

“I know trust is earned through actions and not words. As CEO of Six Flags, I take that responsibility personally,” John Reilly, Six Flags president and CEO, said in a statement. “We will continue to communicate about our progress and hold ourselves accountable to our commitments to you.”

Goliath remains closed, in addition to several other rides across five other parks “out of an abundance of caution.”

Six Flags did not immediately return a request for comment on which roller coasters remain closed or when they might reopen.

A company spokesperson previously said the following rides were closed shortly after the incident: Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America; Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain; Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure; Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland; Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds; and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island.

As of Friday, more than 220 of the company’s roller coasters remain in operation, according to Six Flags.

The company has “engaged independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to comprehensively review current safety procedures across our entire portfolio of rides and attractions, across all of our parks,” according to the press release.

Kariem worked at Wesley International Academy in the Atlanta Public Schools district, the district said. His body hit other people on the ride before landing on the roof of a haunted house attraction below, according to witnesses.

The October incident was not the first time Six Flags’ roller coasters made headlines.

In September, Six Flags was sued by riders alleged that they suffered brain injuries on the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California. The ride features 360-degree rotating seats, a 215-foot drop and sudden flips and rotations.