Ride malfunctions, freak accidents, passengers ignoring the rules. Amusement park tragedies don’t happen often, but when they do, the results can be terrifying.
While most of us expect a day at the theme park to be a fun, entertaining outing with friends and family, we also know that there are risks involved with roller coasters and other rides, albeit minor ones. There are roughly 30,000 amusement park-related injuries each year; however, fatal accidents are much rarer, with just a handful occurring over the last decade.
Should you be overly worried or skip your trip to the theme park entirely? Probably not. Indeed, an industry group that represents theme and water parks points out that the chance of being injured on a ride at a permanent U.S. amusement park is one in 16 million, compared to a one-in-700,000 chance of being struck by lightning.
Still, it’s worth knowing what can happen when park rides go wrong and exercising caution. Read on to learn about the most frightening incidents to ever occur around the world — including some that happened on rides that remain open today.
Kayak Experience in Vernon Township, New Jersey
Action Park, an amusement park in New Jersey that opened in 1978, was fraught with horrifying mishaps, from drownings to head injuries. On Aug. 1, 1982, a 27-year-old man got on the supposedly tame Kayak Experience ride, which simulated the experience of going river rafting.
His kayak tipped at some point, so he got out of it to flip it over. As he did so, he stepped on a metal grate that was too close to a stretch of live wiring that powered the underwater fans that generated the waves. He was severely electrocuted, going into cardiac arrest and dying shortly after.
The Aftermath: Texas Giant
Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo
Though the ride was temporarily shut down, it reopened after the theme park’s internal investigation found no mechanical issues related to the accident (though they added new restraint bar pads and seat belts).
Six Flags also went on to settle a lawsuit with the family of the victim; though the terms were not disclosed, $1 million was sought. The lawsuit included horrifying new details, like the fact that the woman held on for “dear life” before plunging to her death.
The 14-story coaster, which reaches speeds of 65 miles per hour and has a steep 79-degree drop, initially opened in 1990 before undergoing a $10 million renovation and reopening in 2011, just two years before the accident.
