What we know about the man who died falling from a Six Flags rollercoaster

Man dies after falling from Six Flags rollercoaster in Georgia

The full report

A 42-year-old man, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, has died after falling from a rollercoaster at a Six Flags amusement park in the US state of Georgia. The incident occurred on Monday, just before 16:00 local time (20:00 GMT), at the Six Flags Over Georgia park.

According to the Cobb County Police Department, Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction. The ride involved has not been specified, but aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, and multiple witnesses have identified the ride as the one involved in the incident.

The Goliath ride, which opened in 2006, has an elevation of 200ft (60m), a 170ft plunge, a 540-degree spiral, and a speed of up to 70mph (112km/h), according to the park website. Six Flags has temporarily closed nine rides across the US and Canada as a precaution.

An investigation is under way, and the office of the state's insurance and fire safety commissioner is also conducting a review. Officials have not held a news conference on the incident. The Cobb county police department's major crimes unit has launched an investigation into Kariem's death.

Kariem was a father to a 10-year-old daughter and an educator in Atlanta, Georgia. He overcame two bouts of cancer, including a recent incident in 2018, and also survived a car fire three weeks ago with his daughter. The incident has left many in the community shocked and saddened.