Six Flags Rollercoaster Incident in Georgia Leaves One Dead

A 42-year-old man has died after falling from a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, an amusement park in the US state of Georgia.

The incident occurred on Monday, just before 16:00 local time (20:00 GMT), according to the Cobb County Police Department.

Investigation Underway

An investigation is currently underway, with few details released about what happened.

Six Flags, the largest amusement park operator in North America, has temporarily closed nine rides across the US and Canada as a precaution.

Witness Accounts

Witnesses have described the traumatic moments leading up to the incident.

One witness, Nick Mendenhall, said he saw the man come out of his seat and then fall into another cart on the ride before falling to the ground.

Another witness, Connor Thompson, said he was in line for the ride when everyone started yelling, clearly distressed.

Thompson said he saw the cart come into the hub where others were waiting in line and could see the restraint was unlatched.

Another witness, CiCi Nelson, said she saw an empty seat with a loose safety bar and a female covered in blood.

Victim Identified

The victim has been identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old father and passionate educator who had survived two bouts of cancer.

Kariem's family said he was a devoted father and had a strong love for his community.

He worked for Wesley International Academy, a public charter school, for more than 12 years as an IT manager, technology teacher, and robotics coach.

Previous Incidents

This is at least the seventh death at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to the Doan Law Firm, which tracks amusement park accidents and represents victims.

Previous incidents have included two people who had medical emergencies, two who were in restricted areas when they were struck by a ride, two who died in car-related accidents, and one who died months after using the park's pool.

Six Flags operates 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks, and nine resorts across Canada, the US, and Mexico.

In the last 15 years, two deaths caused by falling from the park's rollercoasters led to lawsuits and settlements.

One in 2011 involved an Iraq War veteran who was ejected from a ride in New York and hit his head on the car.

In the other, in 2013, a woman slipped from her restraints on a rollercoaster in Texas and fell 75 feet.

With additional reporting by Brandon Drenon