Six Flags closes coasters after fatal fall at Georgia park

A man died after being ejected from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, October 12. The incident happened near 3:58 p.m., according to El Colombiano.

Authorities said the 42-year-old struck other passengers before falling under the ride, Forbes reported. Times now identified him as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, an Atlanta resident, and reported that four other people were injured.

Local television footage showed Goliath stopped partway through its course, according to Adnkronos - ultimoratop. Euronews reported that footage showed riders being evacuated from the 60-metre-high attraction.

By October 13, Six Flags had announced precautionary closures beyond Georgia. ABC Top Stories reported that nine other hypercoasters were shut down across six theme parks in North America. South China Morning Post put the total at 10 rides, explicitly including Goliath.

The closures reached Canada. Two rides at Canada's Wonderland in Toronto and one at La Ronde in Montreal were temporarily shuttered, according to Global News.

Witness accounts published on October 13 raised questions about the moments before the accident. Riders told New York Post they heard unusual clicking from restraints and saw staff check them multiple times. Those accounts do not establish what caused Kariem to be ejected.

On October 14, CBS Top Stories reported that Hassan Kariem was an IT manager in the Atlanta Public Schools system, which was mourning his death. His family also asked for images of his final moments to be removed from the internet, according to Daily Mail.

That day, ABCNews.com reported that the park would reopen as planned on Friday, October 16, while Goliath remained closed. The park was operating on a weekend schedule.

Further reporting widened the scrutiny. On October 14, witnesses told New York Post that Goliath had been shut for maintenance hours before the fatal fall. On October 15, CNN reported that Six Flags had faced ride-safety warnings before this week's death.

Police are investigating the fatal incident, according to Euronews. The supplied coverage does not establish why Kariem was ejected or confirm that a restraint failure caused the fall.

The planned reopening of Six Flags Over Georgia does not include Goliath, ABCNews.com reported. On October 15, New York Post also reported that Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure would remain closed while investigators examined the Georgia accident.

The death has brought broader questions about oversight into focus. Fast Company described the industry's patchwork of safety standards, while The Independent reported on questions about ride safety and regulation.

The central pending issue is the investigation's finding on how Kariem left his seat. Witness reports about clicking restraints and earlier maintenance need to be assessed against evidence, rather than treated as a confirmed explanation.

Also pending are reopening decisions for the closed coasters. The precautionary closures reported by ABC Top Stories do not, by themselves, establish that the other rides have the same fault or that investigators have identified a fault on Goliath.