AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 26, 2026
Six Flags Responds to Fatal Accident on Goliath Coaster
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has announced it will install seat belts on the Goliath coaster at its Georgia park following the death of a rider earlier this month. The company will also add seat belts to other roller coasters with similar restraint systems across its parks in the U.S. and Canada.
Details of the Incident
The move comes after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died on October 12, 2026, after being ejected from his seat while riding Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. Witnesses stated that Kariem rose out of his seat and fell headfirst back into the cart before being ejected. Some riders earlier that day had also expressed concerns about the coaster’s restraints.
Company Statement and Planned Safety Upgrades
John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, addressed the tragedy in a statement: "We are reinforcing safety precautions at our parks and taking additional measures, including adding seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with a similar restraint."
While Goliath remains closed during investigations by state and local officials, Six Flags has also temporarily closed eight similar roller coasters at five other parks in the U.S. and Canada. All nine affected coasters, including Goliath, are manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard and feature similar clamshell lap-bar restraints.
Scope of Roller Coaster Closures
In addition to the Georgia location, roller coasters remain closed at Six Flags parks in Gurnee, Illinois; Jackson Township, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mason, Ohio; and Vaughan, Ontario. Six Flags has not specified when these rides will reopen, nor has it detailed which other specific coasters will receive the seat belt upgrades.
Industry-Wide Safety Review
The accident and subsequent closures have had ramifications beyond Six Flags. Non-Six Flags parks—such as SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal, Canada—have temporarily closed one coaster each that uses clamshell restraints similar to those found on Goliath. SeaWorld reopened its Mako coaster after a week and has been asked about future safety upgrades.
Six Flags has brought in independent engineers and inspectors to review ride safety procedures at its parks. The company emphasized its commitment to implementing changes designed to improve amusement park safety and prevent further incidents.
Bolliger & Mabillard Restraint System
The affected coasters use a restraint system patented by Bolliger & Mabillard in 2001. The design, according to the patent, aims to give each rider the sensation "that he is seated on a flying carpet or that he is at the controls of a kind of flying scooter, while still guaranteeing optimum security." The system relies on a padded lap bar that locks over each rider’s upper legs.
Ongoing Investigations
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the October 12 accident on Goliath. The safety reviews and temporary ride closures remain in place as further evaluations take place across affected parks.
Source: wjbf.com.
