Rollercoaster riders end up stranded 100ft above near-verticle drop after glitch
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Thrill seekers at a Texas theme park got more than they bargained for when a rollercoaster glitch left them stranded 100ft in the air above a near-vertical drop.
Eight students were rescued by fire crews after nearly four hours trapped atop Pleasure Peir’s Iron Shark ride on Thursday.
Dramatic photos show the rescuers scaling the track and securing each passenger in a safety harness before carefully guiding them back to safety.
The riders were all students on a field trip organised by Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy High School.
In a statement, the Houston Independent School District said: ‘We are grateful that all students, staff, and chaperones are safe.
‘School administration is in direct contact with the families of all students who were on the trip.’
The Iron Shark is the tallest rollercoaster on Galveston’s Pleasure Pier.
It malfunctioned shortly before 5.30pm on Thursday. The final rider was brought back down to ground a little after 9pm.
Dramatic photos show the rescuers scaling the track and securing each passenger in a safety harness before carefully guiding them back to safety (Picture: Reuters)
The whole amusement park was closed while the rescue operation was underway.
None of the riders were injured but each was assessed for dehydration after spending so long stranded.
The cause of the malfunction remains unclear.
Landry’s Inc, which owns Pleasure Pier, confirmed the glitch and said the ride then shut off as it was designed to do in such a scenario.
It added in a statement to ABC: ‘Our focus immediately shifted to the safety of our guests. Therefore, we contacted the Fire Department to assist, ensuring all guests were safely removed from the ride.
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‘A thorough inspection of the ride will take place before it is placed back in service.’
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