When someone thinks about amusement parks, the immediate word that falls into their mind is “fun” or “exciting”. No one ever thinks about the word “death”, but death haunts these attractions more so than a lot of other family fun places. There are so many deaths each year that happen at many amusement parks around the world.
Here are five of the scariest deaths from amusement parks.
1. The decapitated teen in 2008
In 2008, a teenager lost his own hat on a rollercoaster at Six Flags in Georgia, USA. The 17-year-old boy hopped over a few of the security fences around the coaster to retrieve the missing item. At the same time, the rollercoaster was speeding by at over 50 miles per hour and took his head right off. Now, this death was 100% accidental and innocent, but it cost a life nonetheless.
2. Ride malfunctions in 2017
In 2017, a ride at one of the fairs in Ohio malfunctioned. This accident caused one man to be killed, and seven other people involved in the incident were sent right to the hospital. The ride was called “The Fire Ball”, and it sent passengers flying through the air and crashing onto the bottom platform.
3. Waterslide kills in 1997
In 1997, one of the waterslides in Waterworld USA in California got too crowded and collapsed because of all the patrons' weights. One passenger, a 17-year-old, was killed due to having his chest crushed from the ride, and 32 other passengers were sent to the hospital.
4. River Rapids murder in 2016
In 2016, River Rapids in Dreamworld, located in Australia, malfunctioned and caused the deaths of at least four patrons. Half of the victims were physically ejected from the ride and killed, and the other half died while being trapped underneath the ride. Some witnesses even say one of the victims had drowned on the ride because of the accident.
5. The Six Flags snap in 2007
After a young child visited the Six Flags in Kentucky Kingdom and decided to go on the Superman Tower of Power, she ended up not making it as the cable at the very top of the ride snapped. This caused the cables to whip people in their faces, and several people lost their feet or arms during this event.
Now, after reading about all of these deaths that happen at some of our favorite amusement parks and theme parks, are you ready to schedule some family fun time at one this summer?