{
  "id": 16355295,
  "title": "Six Flags says it will install seat belts on Georgia roller coaster after rider’s death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-says-it-will-install-seat-belts-on-georgia-roller-coaster-16355295",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T17:04:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/24/six-flags-says-it-will-install-seat-belts-on-georgia-roller-coaster-after-riders-death/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, John Reilly, announced that the company will install seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster in Georgia, following the death of a rider. The safety upgrade will also be implemented on other similar coasters owned by Six Flags. The incident occurred on October 12 when 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta was ejected from his seat during the ride. Goliath has been temporarily closed while state and local officials investigate the circumstances surrounding Kariem's death. Six Flags temporarily shuttered eight additional roller coasters across five U.S. and Canadian parks, all of which utilize the same manufacturer and restraint system. The theme park operator has enlisted independent engineers and inspectors to review safety procedures across all rides at its parks. Witnesses reported seeing Kariem rise up out of his seat and fall headfirst back into the cart before being ejected. Some riders who were on Goliath before him that day expressed concerns about the ride's restraints. All nine Six Flags coasters closed were manufactured by the Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard, featuring a clamshell restraint system designed to give riders the sensation of being on a flying carpet or scooter while ensuring safety. Following the incident, other theme parks, including SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronde in Montreal, temporarily closed one roller coaster each with similar restraints. SeaWorld re-opened its Mako coaster after being closed for a week. The Associated Press has inquired with SeaWorld and La Ronde regarding potential seat belt or safety upgrades for their coasters.",
  "summary": "The chief executive of Six Flags says the company will install seat belts on the Georgia roller coaster from which a rider fell to his death earlier this month. The company's rides with similar restraints will also get the safety upgrade.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Six Flags says it will install seat belts on Georgia roller coaster after rider’s death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-says-it-will-install-seat-belts-on-georgia-roller-coaster",
        "published": "2026-10-24T17:04:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC",
        "title": "Six Flags says it will install seat belts on Georgia roller coaster after rider's death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-says-it-will-install-seat-belts-on-georgia-roller-coaster-16349222",
        "published": "2026-10-24T17:12:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Six Flags says it will install seat belts on Georgia roller coaster after rider's death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-says-it-will-install-seat-belts-on-georgia-roller-coaster-16352840",
        "published": "2026-10-24T17:32:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News (US)",
        "title": "Six Flags announces new safety measures for Goliath coaster following rider death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-announces-new-safety-measures-for-goliath-coaster-following",
        "published": "2026-10-24T19:09:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "Six Flags to reopen Goliath rollercoaster – but now with seatbelts after recent rider death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/six-flags-to-reopen-goliath-rollercoaster-but-now-with-seatbelts",
        "published": "2026-10-24T19:44:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}