A roller coaster in the United Kingdom broke down in midair with people onboard on Friday, forcing rescuers to evacuate guests off the ride.
The incident happened at Adventure Island amusement park’s Rage roller coaster in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on Friday at around 2 p.m. local time, according to the BBC.
Everyone on the ride was safely taken off within 40 minutes, according to a statement from the amusement park.
Park officials said that its “highly trained team immediately initiated our ride evacuation plan,” according to the report.
OHIO AMUSEMENT PARK GUEST STRUCK BY FLYING CELL PHONE ON ROLLER COASTER GOING 70 MPH
Eight people stuck on roller coaster Rage ride in Adventure Island, Southend, shortly after 2pm. See SWNS story SWTPride. Horrified onlookers photographed eight revelers stuck “right at the top” of a 22-metre rollercoaster as rescuers scrambled to get them down. (SWNS)
Officials at the park added that “a carriage on Rage stopped on the lift” and said “all passengers were returned to the ground, safe and sound and reunited with their families”.
One witness said that the ride was stuck in midair.
Eight people stuck on roller coster Rage ride in Adventure Island, Southend, shortly after 2pm. See SWNS story SWTPride. Horrified onlookers photographed eight revelers stuck “right at the top” of a 22-metre rollercoaster as rescuers scrambled to get them down. Speed-fans were left hanging on the tracks for “at least half an hour” after the Rage ride in Adventure Island, Southend, stopped this afternoon at just before 2pm (FRI). The mum of one, who had visited the park with her six-year-old daughter and who did not want to be named, said: “They had to be harnessed and rescued down. “It got stuck, it’s the big one there that goes through the loop – it goes up, god knows high, and then straight back down and then loops. (SWNS)
“It got stuck, it’s the big one there that goes through the loop – it goes up, God knows high, and then straight back down and then loops,” the witness said.
Another witness to the incident said that the passengers “had to be harnessed and rescued down.”
Staff attempting to rescue the eight people stuck on roller coaster Rage ride in Adventure Island, Southend, shortly after 2pm. See SWNS story SWTPride. Horrified onlookers photographed eight revelers stuck “right at the top” of a 22-metre rollercoaster as rescuers scrambled to get them down. Speed-fans were left hanging on the tracks for “at least half an hour” after the Rage ride in Adventure Island, Southend, stopped this afternoon at just before 2pm (FRI). The mum of one, who had visited the park with her six-year-old daughter and who did not want to be named, said: “They had to be harnessed and rescued down. “It got stuck, it’s the big one there that goes through the loop – it goes up, god knows high, and then straight back down and then loops. (SWNS)
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According to the report, Rage is billed as the amusement park’s “biggest and best” rollercoaster, which includes “loops, twists, and flat-out speeds”.