8 Six Flags Coasters Remain Closed After Fatal Goliath Fall

Six Flags said Saturday it will install seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and on seven related coasters at other parks, nearly two weeks after a rider was killed when he fell from the ride, according to ABC News.

The change follows the Oct. 12 death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, an IT manager, teacher and robotics coach at an Atlanta school, who was ejected from Goliath and fell beneath the ride, the Cobb County Police Department said, as reported by ABC News. Kariem had been riding with family to celebrate his niece's birthday and was seated beside her when he was ejected, a relative told the outlet. Other patrons were struck and reported injuries, according to police.

What safety changes is Six Flags making to Goliath?

Six Flags said it will add seat belts to Goliath, which the company said already used lap-bar restraints, according to ABC News. The park has not disclosed a reopening date and said the coaster will stay closed while engineers complete an inspection tied to the ongoing investigation into Kariem's death.

Beyond the single ride, the company said it has engaged independent engineers and ride-inspection specialists to review safety procedures "across our entire portfolio of rides and attractions, across all of our parks," the company said in a statement cited by ABC News. "We are committed to carefully evaluating their findings and taking appropriate action to further strengthen our standards and culture of safety," Six Flags said.

What happened to the rider who died?

Cobb County police said Kariem was "ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction," according to ABC News. The report noted that a previous, unrelated inspection of the coaster had found no violations, though the timing and scope of that earlier inspection relative to the fatal incident was not detailed in the available reporting. The circumstances of the ejection itself — mechanical, restraint-related or otherwise — remain under investigation by the park and police, and no cause has been publicly determined.

Which other coasters were affected?

After the incident, Six Flags temporarily closed nine coasters similar in design to Goliath as a precaution, including Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, ABC News reported. One of those, the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, has since reopened, according to the park. As of Saturday's announcement, eight of the nine coasters remained closed and are slated to have seat belts or other additional restraints installed before reopening, Six Flags said.

The Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia reaches an elevation of 200 feet and speeds of up to 70 mph, according to figures on the amusement park's website cited by ABC News. The ride opened in 2006 and is located in Austell, Georgia, west of Atlanta.

What happens next with the investigation?

The park's internal review and the Cobb County Police Department's investigation are both ongoing, according to ABC News, and neither has produced a public finding on the cause of the ejection. Six Flags has not given a timetable for completing the independent engineering review across its broader ride portfolio or for reopening Goliath specifically.

What should riders and families watch for next?

• Whether Six Flags sets a reopening date for Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia once its inspection and the police investigation conclude.
• Whether seat belts are added to the eight sister coasters still closed, including Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, before they reopen.
• Whether the independent engineering review Six Flags commissioned produces public findings or park-wide policy changes beyond the coasters already flagged.
• Whether Cobb County police release additional details on how Kariem came to be ejected from the ride.

The available reporting does not specify a completion date for either the police investigation or the company's broader safety review, and Six Flags' statement did not commit to a timeline for reopening the closed rides.