SeaWorld Orlando closes Mako after fatal fall on similar Georgia coaster

SeaWorld Orlando has closed Mako, its 200-foot hypercoaster, with no date set to reopen, after a rider was killed in a fall from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, Oct. 12. Both rides were built by the Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, and SeaWorld said it shut Mako out of an abundance of caution while investigators in Georgia work to determine what went wrong.

The closure came the same week Florida released its quarterly theme park injury report, which shows guests at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando reported injuries or illnesses tied to six attractions from July through September. SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Legoland Florida reported none, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Why SeaWorld shut down Mako

Mako was listed as temporarily closed in the SeaWorld app on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and the park confirmed to WFTV that it shut the ride as the investigation in Georgia continues. As of that day, Mako was the only ride closed at SeaWorld Orlando, WFTV reported.

A SeaWorld Orlando spokesperson told FOX 35 that the park adheres to the highest safety standards and that its staff and technicians routinely inspect rides and work closely with manufacturers and other engineering and safety experts. SeaWorld told WFTV it is working with the partners involved, including Bolliger & Mabillard and Six Flags, to stay informed as the investigation goes on. The park has not said what, specifically, it is checking on Mako, and it has not given a timeline for reopening.

According to Bolliger & Mabillard's website, as cited by WFTV, Mako and Goliath are both hypercoasters with similar drops, speeds and restraint systems. Mako opened at SeaWorld Orlando in 2016 and reaches heights of 200 feet and speeds of 73 mph, FOX 35 reported. Goliath, which opened in 2006, has a first hill of 200 feet and a top speed of 70 mph, according to The Associated Press.

What happened in Georgia

Police identified the man who died as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, a school employee from Atlanta. Witnesses described seeing him ejected from Goliath, and the AP reported that he struck other riders before landing below the ride. Four other riders were injured, WFTV reported. Police and a Georgia state regulatory agency are investigating.

Some people who rode Goliath earlier that day told the AP they had concerns about its restraints. One mother said her son moved out of a seat on the ride about an hour before the fatal fall because its restraint repeatedly became unlocked, and that the train left the station with that seat empty and the harness up.

Goliath and most of the other coasters that have since been closed use so-called clamshell lap restraints, mounted on a bar between the rider's knees, according to the AP. Goliath in Georgia has no seat belt or other backup restraint. Bolliger & Mabillard declined to answer questions about the shutdowns and said it would have no further comment until it had a better understanding of what happened.

Eleven coasters closed across North America

Six Flags first closed nine coasters at other parks as a precaution. With SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronde in Montreal confirming their own closures on Thursday, the total reached 11, the AP reported. Nine of the closed coasters share Goliath's manufacturer and a similar restraint system.

Dennis Speigel, a theme park consultant and past president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, told the AP the similar restraint systems are almost certainly why most of the coasters were closed and that they are likely to stay down until investigators determine what went wrong. He told WFTV that park operators routinely share safety information with one another when an issue arises.

Brian D. Avery, a University of Florida professor and amusement ride safety expert, told the AP that manufacturers choose restraints based on speed, force and the track's transitions. He favors backup restraints for riders, though the industry has long debated whether they would lengthen wait times.

Busch Gardens keeps its B&M coasters running

Bolliger & Mabillard has built several Florida coasters. According to the manufacturer's website, cited by the AP, three of them are at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Phoenix Rising, SheiKra and Montu. As of Wednesday, Busch Gardens, which like SeaWorld Orlando is owned by United Parks & Resorts, said all of its rides were operating. In a statement, the Tampa park said guest and team member safety is a top priority and that its work includes regular ride inspections and ongoing collaboration with ride manufacturers and other engineering and safety experts.

The Georgia death has also renewed attention to Florida's own ride safety history. Attorneys who represented the family of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall drop tower at ICON Park in 2022, told FOX 35 that the Goliath case immediately raised questions about whether a restraint failed or whether the ride lacked a second one.

What Florida's third-quarter report shows

Florida's largest theme parks inspect their own rides and self-report guest injuries that require at least 24 hours of hospitalization. The reports are published quarterly through an agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the state does not receive updates after the initial assessments, the Sentinel noted.

The third-quarter report lists two coasters, three water attractions and one dark ride:

Earlier this year, a 54-year-old man suffered a cardiac emergency while riding "it's a small world" at Magic Kingdom and later died at a hospital, according to the state report; it noted he had a pre-existing condition.

What's next

Mako will stay closed until SeaWorld decides it is safe to reopen, and the park has not given a timeline. Much depends on what investigators find about Goliath's restraint. Six Flags Over Georgia is set to reopen Friday, Oct. 16, but Goliath is not expected to run, the AP reported.

For Florida visitors, the practical effect for now is limited to SeaWorld Orlando, where riders will have to wait for Mako's return. Other Bolliger & Mabillard coasters in the state, including the three at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, were operating as of midweek. The next quarterly state report will cover October through December.