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Kings Island temporarily closes Orion and Diamondback roller coasters after fatal Georgia incident

(Photo supplied / Kings Island)

MASON, Ohio (WOWO) — Two roller coasters at Kings Island have been temporarily closed following the death of a man who fell from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.

According to WKYC, the Orion and Diamondback attractions are among the rides temporarily taken out of operation by Six Flags as a precaution following Monday’s fatal incident in Georgia.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks. The safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority,” a Six Flags spokesperson said.

Authorities identified the man who died as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. According to Cobb County police, preliminary information from witness and employee interviews indicates Kariem was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster and struck other riders before falling beneath the attraction.

The department’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the incident.

Six Flags has not announced when Orion and Diamondback will reopen. A spokesperson said Kings Island is operating on a weekend schedule and is scheduled to open Thursday, Oct. 15.

No related ride closures have been reported at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, which is also scheduled to open Thursday.

The Goliath, Orion and Diamondback roller coasters were manufactured by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard.

The manufacturer said it was investigating the incident and had no further comment while working to understand what happened.

The temporary closures are precautionary, and no cause of the fatal incident has been established publicly.

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