Tragic theme park demise sparks fears over ‘excessive’ rollercoasters after dad dies
Safety fears are mounting over extreme roller coasters after a dad plunged to his death in front of his son on a 200ft ride at the Six Flags theme park in Georgia
Safety concerns have been raised after a dad died on the Goliath attraction at Six Flags in Georgia(Image: Six Flags Over Georgia & Hurricane Harbor)
Safety concerns have been raised over extreme roller coasters after a dad plunged to his death while riding a 200ft monster drop with his young son. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died on Monday after falling from the Goliath attraction at Six Flags theme park in Georgia.
The tragedy prompted park bosses to instantly shut down the coaster, alongside nine similar rides across North America.
Addressing the incident, a Six Flags spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly: “We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem plunged to his death while riding with his young son(Image: Facebook/Hassan Kariem)
“The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”
The deadly fall comes on the heels of the closure of California’s famous X2 ride at Magic Mountain. Over 100 thrill-seekers have filed claims over the ride, including two women who required brain surgery, leading to allegations that the high-speed coaster caused brain trauma.
It comes as theme park operators have been locked in a race to build taller, faster “hypercoasters” to pull in big crowds. The high-adrenaline strategy drew 47.4 million visitors to Six Flags sites in 2025, pulling in billions in revenue. However, industry insiders warn that extreme engineering comes at a human cost.
The tragedy prompted park bosses to instantly shut down the coaster, alongside nine similar rides(Image: Getty Images)
David Bertozzi, president of the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials, told the New York Post: “They’ve gotten a little more risky, I would say, over the years.”
Even when machinery works as designed, he said rapid acceleration subjects the human body to violent forces. Medical experts warn that intense G-forces can spike blood pressure, strain the spine and cause arterial damage.
Statistics suggest incidents are mounting, with North American coaster injuries surging by 44 per cent in 2024 to an estimated 652 cases. Experts point out that routine daily checks often miss structural flaws like internal metal cracking, which require specialised testing.
Compounding the problem is the lack of a single national safety regulator in the US, leaving ride oversight to a patchwork of state rules, with some areas requiring zero mandatory inspections.
Calling for urgent nation-wide changes, Bertozzi said: “The problem is in a state that has no regulations, those people don’t have to listen to me because I have no authority to shut them down.
“Every state should have some type of an inspection programme. It doesn’t make sense to me that there’s just no requirement. The country needs to start paying attention.”
Legal experts insist theme parks must be held accountable when thrill-seeking turns deadly. Injury lawyer Michael P. McCready said: “Roller coasters are supposed to scare you, not hurt you. People accept the thrill of a roller coaster. They don’t accept negligence.”
