A 42-year-old educator who died after being thrown from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia may have lost consciousness before falling, according to an account shared by his niece.
Hassan Kariem died on Monday at the theme park in Austell, Georgia, after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster. Four other people were injured in the incident.
Kariem had been riding alongside Navi, the 13-year-old niece of his fiancée, who was celebrating her birthday at the park. Navi’s father, Joshua Nelson, told WSB that his daughter said Kariem had passed out before his restraint appeared to come loose.
“She said he fainted or passed, her words were ‘he passed out’ … and she said it went up again and his, his latch, I guess, snapped or came, came loose and he fell,” Nelson said.
Authorities have not confirmed that account as the cause of the incident, and an investigation into Kariem’s death is ongoing.
Family Remembers Final Moments Before the Ride
Nelson said he believed the incident could have been a freak accident, although he also wondered whether it might have been prevented.
He said he was taking comfort in the conversation Kariem had with Navi shortly before they boarded the ride.
Kariem, who worked in education technology at Wesley International Academy, was reportedly excited to share the Goliath roller coaster with his niece because it was one of his favourite attractions.
According to Nelson, Kariem told Navi they were going to have fun and asked her to hold his sunglasses before the ride began.
Nelson said he hoped that moment of happiness was what Kariem remembered, adding that he hoped his brother-in-law had not experienced pain.
Witnesses Describe Chaotic Scene
People who witnessed the incident said Kariem was thrown from his seat and struck parts of the ride’s metal structure before falling to the ground.
Some witnesses alleged that the roller coaster’s restraints had made unusual clicking noises before the ride began. They claimed park staff checked the restraints several times before allowing the attraction to operate.
Logan Conner, who was in the same ride carriage as Kariem, said passengers made direct eye contact with him as he fell head-first from the coaster. Conner also described Kariem as appearing to levitate briefly before falling.
Images and videos of the incident have circulated on social media. Kariem’s family has appealed to the public to stop sharing the footage.
Investigators Examine Roller Coaster Safety Systems
An investigation into the fatal incident is examining the Goliath’s safety equipment and operating systems.
State officials and Cobb County Major Crimes detectives are assessing the ride’s lap-bar restraints, locking mechanisms and computerised safety sensors, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
The Goliath, which rises more than 200 feet and reaches speeds of up to 70mph, is the tallest roller coaster in Georgia. It has been closed indefinitely while the investigation continues.
Six Flags said it was cooperating with local authorities and expressed condolences to Kariem’s family and friends.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” a spokesperson said in a statement. The company added that park staff and local authorities had responded immediately.
The spokesperson also said the park was providing support to those affected and would refrain from further immediate comment out of respect for the family’s privacy.
Six Flags Temporarily Closes Similar Attractions
Six Flags Over Georgia was closed from Tuesday through Thursday and was scheduled to reopen on Friday evening. The Goliath was not expected to operate when the park reopened.
Following Kariem’s death, at least 11 roller coasters across the United States and Canada were temporarily shut down as a precaution. Nine of the attractions were manufactured by Bollinger & Mabillard, the company that built the Goliath, and feature similar restraint systems.
The closures included Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario, Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds, and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island in Ohio.
Mako at SeaWorld Orlando was also reported to have been closed.
Six Flags additionally shut down a version of the Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California.
Company spokesperson Sara Gorgon said similar attractions had been temporarily closed “out of an abundance of caution”, adding that guest and employee safety remained the company’s highest priority.
Bollinger & Mabillard said it would not provide further comment until it had a better understanding of what happened.
Park Awaits Findings of Investigation
The investigation is continuing as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding Kariem’s death and the operation of the roller coaster’s safety systems.
Officials have not publicly confirmed the niece’s account that Kariem passed out before the restraint allegedly came loose.
The Goliath remains closed, while several similar attractions at other parks have also been taken out of service pending further assessment.
