One dead and several injured in an accident on a roller coaster

A yet-to-be-named man and his son stepped onto the Goliath roller coaster in Mableton, about two miles west of Atlanta, shortly before 4 p.m. Monday. According to witnesses to American media, the man was thrown out for some reason in the last corner before the braking distance.

The death is described as particularly dramatic as he is said to have hit the carriages several times before landing on a roof. The amusement park was immediately evacuated and local 11 Alive was quickly on the scene with a news helicopter showing staff later helping patrons row by row out of the Goliath wagons that were next in line.

In addition to the reporting, the man's fall and the blood his body left behind can be seen in the souvenir pictures taken by a camera right at the scene of the accident. Also that he hit other riders, four of whom were injured.

- He can be seen in our Goliath photo, the photos they take and you get to keep. He's in the picture, off his wagon and all, a visibly shaken woman told 11 Alive.

Goliath is a 61-meter high roller coaster that takes 3.5 minutes to ride and reaches a top speed of over 110 kilometers per hour, according to Six Flags. The ride has not previously had any accidents apart from the death of a 45-year-old man from a heart attack caused by a congenital heart defect.

The ride in question is equipped with a special type of jumper called a "clamshell" and is pulled over the rider's thighs towards the stomach. In several places, you also have a seat belt for extra safety, but not on the Goliath.

"We are deeply devastated by the accident that befell a visitor in our park today. Our thoughts and our deep participation in the grief go out to the affected visitor's family, friends and relatives," writes a spokesperson for the amusement park. It also claims to offer support to visitors and employees affected by the incident, which is to be investigated by the authorities.

However, it is not clear what caused the fatal accident. Six Flags has existed in various forms since 1961 and today has 34 amusement parks, mainly in the United States, but also in Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The group announces that they are closing nine similar rides "out of pure caution" until safety has been carefully reviewed.

The number of accidents somehow caused by the operator is relatively few, but as recently as last month a class-action lawsuit was filed by more than 100 people who claim they suffered brain injuries from riding the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain north of Los Angeles.