US: Man killed in Six Flags roller coaster incident

One person has died and several others were injured in an incident on Monday involving a roller coaster at a Six Flags theme park in the United States.

The incident occurred at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of Atlanta.

Witnesses told local media outlets that they saw a man fall from the ride.

"I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one," said Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.

Six Flags temporary closes 9 roller coasters

Following an incident in Georgia, Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six amusement parks.

According to a park spokesperson, similar attractions were closed across their parks "out of an abundance of caution" following the incident at Six Flags Over Georgia.

This comes less than two weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California announced it would retire its famous X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging the ride caused serious brain injuries. 

What do we know about the roller coaster?

Althought the park did not identify the ride in question, local media showed passengers being evacuated from the Goliath coaster.

Built in 2006, Goliath can reach speeds of 113 km/h (70 mph) and a maximum height of 61 meters (200 feet).

According to the theme park's website, riders "navigate through razor-sharp turns and soar over colossal hills."

Monday's death would be at least the seventh to occur at the Georgia theme park, according to the Doan Law Firm, which focuses on amusement park accidents.

That includes one 2006 incident when a man had a likely heart attack while riding the same roller coaster, Goliath.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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