Eight Passengers Rescued from Stranded Roller Coaster in Texas

In a startling incident at a Texas amusement park, eight passengers found themselves suspended near the top of a roller coaster for over three hours. Emergency responders worked to rescue them, one by one.

The Galveston Police Department reported that the Iron Shark roller coaster at Galveston’s Pleasure Pier broke down around 5:35 p.m. on Thursday evening. At the time of the malfunction, all eight individuals were aboard the ride.

Firefighters from the Galveston Fire Department utilized a ladder truck and safety harnesses to bring the stranded passengers down safely, a task that took about three and a half hours to complete.

This incident gained considerable attention, with local news stations broadcasting live footage of the passengers stuck at the top of the coaster’s vertical lift, which stands at 100 feet.

It was later confirmed that some of the stranded passengers were students from the Houston Independent School District, on a field trip organized by two charter schools—Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and Energized for STEM Academy High School. The school district expressed gratitude for the safe return of all students and staff, thanking first responders and park workers for their efforts.

“We’re just relieved everyone is okay,” a district official stated. “Families of the students have been notified, and we’re in touch with them directly.”

The cause of the roller coaster breakdown remains unclear. Terry Turney, the Chief Operating Officer of Pleasure Pier, commented on the situation, saying, “The ride experienced a breakdown during its initial ascent, but our systems worked as intended, stopping the ride to ensure safety.”

As a precautionary measure, the roller coaster will undergo a complete inspection before reopening to the public.