A shocking incident was captured on video as multiple riders fell from a ride at an amusement park in Saudi Arabia, leading to injuries.
Reports from state media indicate that 23 individuals were hurt, with four suffering serious injuries when a large pendulum ride unexpectedly broke in two, causing the spinning wheel that carried passengers to plummet.
This unsettling event transpired last week at Green Mountain Park in Taif, situated about 175 miles east of the Red Sea on the country’s west coast.
Video shared on social media depicts the moment the ride, which swings riders back and forth, suddenly breaks with alarming metallic snaps and crunching sounds. Bystanders can be seen documenting the chaos as the incident unfolds.
Four of those injured were transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses recounted that some injuries resulted from the central support pole recoiling quickly after the ride came to an abrupt stop.
Amazingly, the spinning wheel managed to land in a relatively upright position after the fall.
First responders from the Saudi Red Crescent provided immediate care at the scene before transporting the injured to a nearby hospital.
The local government of Al-Hadah issued a statement confirming that Taif’s Governor, Prince Saud Bin Nahar Bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz, has ordered the amusement park’s closure while an investigation into the incident is conducted, including evaluations of other attractions for safety issues.
Unfortunately, Green Mountain Park isn’t the only amusement venue to face tragedy this summer. A month ago, a 9-year-old girl drowned in a wave pool at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania.
Witnesses described a lifeguard dragging the unresponsive child from the water and performing CPR for several harrowing minutes.
