Eleven roller coasters at amusement parks in the United States and Canada have been temporarily closed for safety inspections after a passenger died after falling from a ride at Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park.

According to the Associated Press (AP), police and state regulators are investigating the death of 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, who fell from the Goliath roller coaster at the Georgia amusement park on Monday.

Following the incident, SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde amusement park in Montreal, Canada, confirmed that they had temporarily closed some roller coasters for inspections. The number of rides taken out of service after the accident reached 11.

Eyewitnesses said they saw Kariem, who worked at a school in Atlanta, fall from the roller coaster. Some passengers who rode the Goliath on the day of the accident also claimed that there had been issues with the ride’s passenger restraint systems.

Safety restraint concerns raised

Erica Billups said her son and daughter had ridden the Goliath about an hour before Kariem’s death and experienced a problem with one of the seat restraints.

According to Billups, her son initially sat in the seat in question but moved to another seat after the restraint repeatedly opened. She said the roller coaster operated with the problematic seat empty and the restraint bar raised, but park employees did not inform them that there was an issue with the seat.

Summer Bates, who was at the park and witnessed Kariem’s fall, also previously told AP that her children tried to tighten the restraint bars while riding the roller coaster.

Bates said she also felt that the restraints did not seem secure enough when she rode the attraction herself.

Six Flags management did not immediately respond to questions regarding the claims about the safety restraints.

Rides made by same manufacturer inspected

La Ronde announced that its Goliath roller coaster was temporarily closed to allow a comprehensive safety review in cooperation with the manufacturer.

SeaWorld Orlando also announced that its Mako roller coaster would remain closed until further notice. Both parks did not provide details about the specific reasons behind the closures.

The closed rides at La Ronde and SeaWorld Orlando were manufactured by Swiss-based company Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The company also produced the Goliath involved in the Georgia accident and eight other roller coasters that were taken out of service by Six Flags.

Bolliger & Mabillard declined to comment on the matter.

Six Flags’ updated list of closed attractions released Thursday did not include the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. That ride was previously reported to have been closed, but it uses a different manufacturer and restraint system design.

Industry experts call for further inspections

Most of the affected roller coasters appear to use similar over-the-shoulder or lap restraint systems that lock over passengers’ legs and upper body.

Experts said many rides were likely closed as a precaution because they use similar safety systems.

Dennis Speigel, an amusement park consultant and former president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, said the rides were unlikely to return to service until investigators determine what caused the Georgia accident.

Brian D. Avery, a University of Florida professor and amusement ride safety expert, said manufacturers consider factors such as speed, forces and track movements when designing restraint systems.

Avery said he supports the use of backup restraint systems for passengers, although he noted that the industry has long debated whether additional restraints could increase loading times.

Six Flags faces renewed scrutiny

The accident has also brought attention to Six Flags’ maintenance practices.

A class-action lawsuit filed by investors against Six Flags in 2025 alleged that the company had presented the condition of its amusement parks more positively than reality before its merger with Cedar Fair.

The lawsuit claimed that Six Flags had delayed or failed to carry out maintenance work, infrastructure repairs and improvements to rides and facilities for years before the merger.

Timothy Loranger, a California-based attorney who has represented families in a previous Six Flags-related death case, said the company’s decision to close other roller coasters for precautionary inspections was a positive step.

Six Flags Over Georgia is expected to reopen on Friday, but the Goliath roller coaster involved in the fatal accident is not expected to return to operation until the investigation is completed.

The park, located in Mableton, about 24 kilometres northwest of Atlanta, has around a dozen roller coasters.(ILKHA)