Eight students had to be rescued on Thursday from a roller coaster at the Galveston Island Pleasure Pier amusement park in Texas. This occurred after the Iron Shark ride suddenly came to a halt, leaving the young passengers stranded about 30 metres in the air for several hours before emergency responders were finally able to get everyone back down to the ground.
According to the park's fire manager, the alarm was raised at 5:37 PM local time, and several videos and photos show how those strapped into the ride were left sitting on a steep incline, with their backs facing the ground. The rescue operation lasted several hours and was not completed until later that evening. Thankfully, everyone was evacuated without any serious injuries.
The amusement park confirmed that the Iron Shark had suffered a technical malfunction, although its safety systems were actually functioning as intended at the time. They also mentioned that the ride will undergo a thorough inspection and test run before it is potentially reopened to the public.
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