Six Flags faces scrutiny over injuries and maintenance issues after Georgia fatality
A recent death on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia has prompted investigations and highlighted a history of injury reports and maintenance concerns across the chain.
Six Flags temporarily shut down 10 rides in seven states after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem fell to his death on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. The incident follows a series of injury reports and mechanical problems documented in public records and court filings over the past five years.
Records from more than a dozen parks show incidents such as train derailments, faulty restraint bars, dislocated joints and concussions. In California, regulators have received nearly 300 reports from Six Flags locations since 2021, including chemical burns, hydraulic fluid leaks, and broken bones. Similar incidents have been recorded at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, where a 2024 train derailment and repeated lap-bar failures were reported, and at Texas parks, where water-park attractions and rides have generated injury reports.
Six Flags, the nation’s largest amusement-park operator with 30 parks in 13 states, said it is "committed to rigorous ride inspection, maintenance and safety procedures that meet or exceed industry standards" and that all guest injuries are "taken seriously" and reviewed. The company is cooperating with state investigators in Georgia and conducting its own review of the Goliath accident.
Investor lawsuits filed last year allege that the company delayed maintenance and infrastructure repairs while reducing staff after a 2024 merger with Cedar Fair. One lawsuit claims Six Flags "failed to make adequate capital investments to conduct routine facility maintenance or improve rides and attractions," while another alleges the firm "deferred or foregone" necessary repairs. Six Flags has not responded to the lawsuits in court.
The fatal accident comes less than two weeks after Six Flags permanently closed the X2 coaster at Magic Mountain following a CNN investigation that linked the ride to multiple serious brain injuries. Six Flags officials said the closure reflected a loss of guest confidence.
Amusement-ride safety expert Edward Pribonic noted that "recurring safety incidents and mechanical failures usually point to a lack of attention to standards and manufacturer’s requirements," often due to budget constraints or operational issues.
Industry data indicate that theme-park injuries remain relatively rare, with about 1,500 reported in 2024, roughly a quarter of which were attributed to technical or operational problems. State reporting requirements vary, and officials caution that aggregated data may not capture the full context of individual events.