Almost two dozen people were injured at a theme park in Saudi Arabia after a large swinging ride snapped in half while visitors were on board.
According to a report by News 18, the incident occurred at the Green Mountain Park in Taif on Thursday. At least 23 riders were injured, and the outlet explains that three of them are in critical condition. Park Goers were riding on the pendulum-style “360 Degrees” ride. The mechanical swinging arm snapped mid-ride, dropping its passengers to the ground.
Horrific footage of the crash quickly circulated online. A video posted by @just_whatever on X shows the ride picking up speed and swinging back and forth. The pendulum eventually starts to swing beyond 90 degrees. As it swings toward the crowd, the pole snaps in half, accompanied by a loud cracking sound. Several seats appear to collide with a piece of the mechanical arm before the seating area crashes to the floor.
Authorities Transported Injured Theme Park Goers To Multiple Hospitals
News 18 explains that emergency services quickly arrived at the scene. They evacuated the area and transported injured riders to local hospitals. Due to the sudden increase in patient volume, some hospitals reportedly declared a “Code Yellow” situation.
Per NDTV, authorities have launched an urgent investigation to determine what caused the ride to malfunction.
There are multiple similar style rides in theme parks across the planet, and most operate without issue. However, a very similar malfunction occurred in 2019 at the Kankaria Amusement Park in India. A report by CBS News at the time reveals footage of the incident. Much like with “360 Degrees,” the swinging arm snaps in half, dropping the rotating gondola of passengers to the ground.
The outlet reported that two people died in the 2019 incident, and 29 other riders were injured. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Chief Fire Officer M F Dastoor told reporters, “The pipe of the main shaft broke and crashed on the ground. How that pipe broke is a matter of investigation by the Forensic Science Laboratory.” Authorities reportedly arrested six people in connection with the crash, including the managing director of the company that runs the park.