Rescuers scramble to help people stuck at the top of 72ft-high rollercoaster after ride breaks down at Adventure Island Southend
- Eye-witnesses said they were left hanging on the tracks for ‘at least half an hour’
- Were you at the theme park today? Email [email protected]
Terrified riders were left hanging on the tracks of a 72-foot-high rollercoaster for ‘at least half an hour’ today.
Horrified onlookers watched as rescuers scrambled to the aid of eight people stuck ‘at the top’ of the Rage ride at Adventure Island in Southend, Essex, just before 2pm.
Footage shows one of the cars stuck dangling vertically from the track as the riders face the sky.
A sister, who’s brother was stuck, said she was ‘so scared’ when she realised the ride had stopped.
When asked how her brother was doing now, she said: ‘Perfectly fine, surprisingly he was fearless about it.’
Footage shows one of the cars stuck dangling vertically from the track as the riders face the sky
Riders were left hanging on the tracks of a 72 foot high rollercoaster for ‘at least half an hour’
The concerned sister, who asked to remain anonymous, praised Adventure Island’s response to the incident. She said: ‘They did amazingly! Supported all the families and kept away passers-by.’
An emergency escape platform lift was used to rescue the passengers.
Adventure Island describes itself as ‘The UK’s No.1 Free Admission Fun Park’.
A mother who was visiting the park with her six-year-old daughter said: ‘They had to be harnessed and rescued down.
‘It got stuck, it’s the big one there that goes through the loop – it goes up, God knows high, and then straight back down and then loops.
‘It literally just got stuck, right at the top.’
The woman, who asked not to be named, added: ‘The carriages are still stuck at the top at the moment, but the people are out, they harnessed them out one at the time.
Horrified onlookers watch as rescuers scrambled to the aid of eight people stuck ‘at the top’ of the Rage ride at Adventure Island
Adventure Island’s response to the incident was praised by eyewitnesses
A sister, who’s brother was stuck, said she was ‘so scared’ when she realised the ride had stopped
‘They were up there for at least half an hour, 45 minutes probably.
‘It was all quite calm to be fair, the park seemed to handle it really, really well.
‘They were reassuring them, there was no screaming or mass hysteria, though obviously there was a large crowd of people around and lots of people there.
‘I’ve never been on the ride, I’m not about to now either.’
Source: Read Full Article
