One year after an accident left one dead, a theme park has decided to permanently axe its popular roller coaster.
For the most part, theme parks are extremely safe. Whether it’s a slow, gentle ride like “it’s a small world” or something as extreme as Tower of Terror, every attraction undergoes rigorous safety testing to ensure the wellbeing of all parkgoers and the employees that operate the rides.
But that doesn’t mean accidents don’t happen.
In recent years, Inside the Magic has reported on tragic incidents at theme parks worldwide. Last August, for example, a teenager was killed after high winds flung them 180 feet from an amusem*nt park ride at Luna Park in Cap d’Agde in the south of France.
A year earlier, another accident occurred at Orlando’s ICON Park, where 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell from the Orlando Free Fall attraction. It was later found that his restraints had been “manually loosened, adjusted, and tightened”to accommodate larger riders. The ride was immediately closed before being dismantled and removed from ICON Park.
Another theme park is also opting to take a similar approach following a separate incident. Gröna Lund – an amusem*nt park in Stockholm, Sweden – has confirmed that its roller coaster Jetline will not reopen one year after a passenger died.
According to The Local, Gröna Lund’s CEO, Jan Eriksson, appeared at a press conference today (June 14), at which he confirmed that the decision was made out of respect for the victim.
“With respect for the accident and everyone involved, we’ve decided to close Jetline for good,” Eriksson said.
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Jetline was a steel roller coaster that first opened at the park in 1988. In 1997, the coaster was modified by Maurer Söhne to give it a longer and steeper first drop.
The roller coaster accident occurred on June 25, 2023. Jetline’s vehicle derailed with 14 people aboard. Three of these passengers were thrown from the vehicle – one of whom died, while the other two were seriously injured. Seven other passengers were sent to hospital while the remaining four were safely evacuated from their seats.
Gröna Lund closed for one week after the incident, during which time an investigation took place. It was found that the accident was caused by a faulty support arm, which the manufacturer had ordered from a subcontractor without Gröna Lund’s knowledge.
This subcontractor had made several mistakes during production, including welding errors by a worker who did not have any formal welding qualifications. Gröna Lund was later criticized in a report from Sweden’s Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) for not sufficiently checking the parts when they were delivered in 2019.
“We have fully assisted SHK’s investigation and welcome their final report,” Eriksson said. “It’s important for those affected and their families and for us at Gröna Lund. Something like this has never happened at Gröna Lund, and it will never happen again.”
He also added that he “can’t answer exactly how the manufacturer has misunderstood our design, it’s better to put that question to them. But in light of the accident, we can see that we should have been present to a much greater degree during the entire manufacturing process in order to minimize the risk of those faults appearing.”
Related: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Closed Weeks After Child Tossed off Roller Coaster
Jetline will now remain permanently closed and will presumedly be demolished. Gröna Lund is currently being investigated for three crimes, which, according to The Local, roughly translate to “aggravated involuntary manslaughter,” “aggravated causing of bodily harm,” and “causing danger to others.”
“We’ve been notified that we are suspected of a crime and have been appointed a defense lawyer, but the investigation is still ongoing, and we have not yet been asked to comment on the suspicions against us,” Eriksson said.
Related: Closure Update – Florida Theme Park Must Shut Forever as of Tomorrow, Government Says
Roller coaster accidents don’t always lead to permanent closures. At Six Flags Darien Lake, for example, Superman – Ride of Steel remains in operation 13 years after disabled Iraq War veteran James Hackemer fell to his death. It was later revealed that the ride’s operators did not question Hackemer boarding the attraction, despite the fact he was a double-leg amputee (and the thrill ride featured restraints near the shins).
Another fatal accident took place at Six Flags Over Texas in July 2013 when a 52-year-old female rider also fell from a roller coaster, this time the New Texas Giant. The roller coaster later reopened on September 14, 2013, with redesigned restraint bars, pads, and seat belts.
How do you think theme parks could improve roller coaster safety?
