Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently shuts down X2 roller coaster after series of injuries
Six Flags Magic Mountain has closed its X2 coaster permanently, citing a history of serious injuries and two deaths, while an ongoing state safety inspection continues.
Six Flags Magic Mountain announced Tuesday that the X2 roller coaster will be closed permanently after a record of injuries, including two fatalities, prompted the decision. The park said the ride had consistently passed safety tests but that guest confidence had been affected, leading management to act.
Brian Oerding, president of Six Flags Magic Mountain, said, "While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do. Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously."
The coaster, originally opened as X in 2002 and later refurbished as X2 in 2008, was known for its 360-degree rotating seats that positioned riders facing backward before spinning forward at the peak of a drop. More than 16 million guests had ridden the attraction, according to the park.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed over the years alleging brain injuries linked to the ride. In 2022, Christopher Hawley died after a ride-related incident; his family settled a lawsuit with the park in August. Other cases cite brain bleeds and traumatic brain injuries in 2010, 2020 and 2021.
CNN reported that over the past two decades the coaster was associated with more than a dozen serious injury reports and hospitalizations. Following two brain hemorrhages in July, the ride was temporarily shut down and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health began an inspection, which remains ongoing, according to agency spokesperson Denisse Gómez.
Roller-coaster enthusiast and professor Martin Lewison said the closure was "a sad day for the coaster enthusiast world" but noted that the legal and safety risks justified the park’s decision.
Six Flags indicated that a new attraction, the Thrill Glider, is slated to open next year, featuring a suspended glider train and over half a mile of twisting track built into the park’s mountainside.