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NewsWFLA News TampaOctober 24, 2026Hillsborough County

Six Flags installs seat belts on Georgia roller coaster and closes similar rides following rider death

Photo: WFLA News Tampa

Six Flags announced plans to install seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster in Georgia and other rides with similar restraint systems after a rider fell to his death. The company has temporarily closed nine roller coasters across its parks for review.

Amusement ParksPublic Safety
Read the full story at WFLA News Tampa

Why It Matters

Theme park visitors face temporary closures of nine major roller coasters across the U.S. and Canada while independent engineers review safety procedures and the company installs new seat belts.

Key Facts

  • Six Flags will install seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia following the death of a 42-year-old rider.
  • The safety upgrade will also be applied to other Six Flags rides featuring similar restraint systems.
  • Six Flags temporarily closed a total of nine roller coasters across five parks in the U.S. and Canada.
  • All nine affected coasters were manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and share a similar clamshell restraint system.
  • Independent engineers and inspectors have been hired to review safety procedures for all rides at Six Flags theme parks.
  • Goliath remains shut down while state and local officials investigate the Oct. 12 incident.
  • SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronde in Montreal temporarily closed one roller coaster apiece using similar restraints, though SeaWorld has since reopened its Mako coaster.

Who's Mentioned

OrganizationLa Ronde“Theme park in Montreal, Canada”PersonHassan Jihad Ibn Kariem“Rider who died on the Goliath coaster”locationGurnee“Location of a Six Flags park with a closed coaster”OrganizationSix Flags Entertainment Corporation“Parent company of Six Flags theme parks”locationFlorida“Location of SeaWorld Orlando”locationMason“Location of a Six Flags park with a closed coaster”PersonJohn Reilly“President and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation”locationOntario“Province where Vaughan is located”OrganizationSeaWorld Orlando“Theme park in Florida that closed a similar coaster”locationVaughan“Location of a Six Flags park with a closed coaster”locationNorth Carolina“State where Charlotte is located”locationAtlanta“Hometown of the rider”locationCanada“Country where La Ronde is located”locationIllinois“State where Gurnee is located”locationCharlotte“Location of a Six Flags park with a closed coaster”locationMontreal“Location of La Ronde theme park”locationNew Jersey“State where Jackson Township is located”locationJackson Township“Location of a Six Flags park with a closed coaster”OrganizationBolliger & Mabillard“Swiss company that manufactured the affected roller coasters”OrganizationSix Flags“Theme park operator installing seat belts”locationOhio“State where Mason is located”