ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) — Six Flags plans to install seat belts on several roller coasters following the death of a rider who was ejected from an attraction at its Georgia theme park earlier this month.
The Associated Press reports the company announced the additional safety measures Friday, less than two weeks after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on October 12.
Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly said the company will add seat belts to Goliath and other roller coasters that use similar restraint systems. The company has also hired independent engineers and inspectors to review safety procedures across its parks.
Goliath remains closed as state and local officials investigate the incident. Eight additional roller coasters at five Six Flags parks across the United States and Canada have also been temporarily shut down as a precaution.
All nine affected rides were manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard and use a similar restraint system that secures riders with a padded lap bar.
Investigators have not determined what caused the Georgia incident. Witnesses reported seeing the rider rise from his seat before being ejected, while some passengers who rode the coaster earlier that day raised concerns about its restraints.
The temporary closures include rides at Six Flags parks in Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada. The company has not announced when those attractions will reopen or which specific coasters will receive seat belts.
Other theme park operators have also reviewed rides using similar restraint systems. SeaWorld Orlando temporarily closed its Mako roller coaster following the incident but reopened it last Tuesday.
Six Flags says its safety review remains ongoing as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident.
