Six Flags will add seatbelts to three roller coasters, including Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, weeks after a man was ejected from the ride and died in a fall on Oct. 12. The company announced the change on Oct. 23, according to the Straits Times of Singapore.
The other two rides getting belts are Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure and Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, a spokesperson said, according to NBC News. Six Flags said it will add seatbelts to select roller coasters across its parks.
The man who died was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, according to NBC News. He was ejected from Goliath and fell to his death. The cause of the ejection has not been established in the available sources.
Goliath passed its most recent state inspection on March 16, according to the Straits Times. Georgia inspection reports covering 2014 to 2026 show that the ride repeatedly passed annual inspections, even as inspectors flagged issues including corrosion and worn drive wheels, NBC News reported.
Beyond Goliath, eight rides at five other parks are temporarily closed, according to Six Flags president John Reilly, as quoted by the Straits Times. Reilly said in a statement that the company has hired independent engineers and inspectors to conduct safety reviews of all rides and attractions.
Kariem was a father and educator who worked at Wesley International Academy in the Atlanta Public Schools district, the district said, according to NBC News.
The incident comes after a separate legal action. In September, three people sued Six Flags and the manufacturer of the X2 coaster over alleged brain injuries on that ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain, according to the Straits Times and the Guardian. The park said the X2 would permanently close.
No single federal agency enforces safety standards for rides like Goliath, according to the Straits Times. The Cobb County Police Department is investigating the death.
Several points remain unclear. The Guardian reports that the exact list of coasters getting seatbelts is still uncertain, and the company has not said whether more rides are planned. Six Flags did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on when Goliath might reopen. The findings of the independent safety reviews have not been released, and the company said it is still evaluating them. No statement from Kariem’s family or from the manufacturer on Goliath was included in the sources reviewed.
Cobb County police and Georgia authorities are continuing their investigations. Goliath remains closed with no reopening date, and Six Flags says it will evaluate the findings of the independent safety reviews.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.