A California amusement park has announced it will close a roller coaster after more than 100 people allegedly suffered brain injuries while riding the attraction.
According to the BBC, Six Flags Magic Mountain said in a statement that X2, one of its most popular rides, had undergone a series of safety tests following allegations that the roller coaster, whose seats rotate 360 degrees, caused brain injuries.
The park said the ride passed the safety tests but that closing it was “the right thing to do.”
"Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously,” park official Brian Oerding said in the statement.
Dordick Law Corporation, a law firm representing people who have sued the park, said about 400 people had contacted the firm with injuries they believe were caused by the ride.
“They got on X2 expecting a thrill. Instead, they left with catastrophic brain injuries. Some needed emergency brain surgery. Some are still fighting to get their lives back,” the firm said in a statement.
The firm said closing the ride was a positive step toward protecting future visitors but would not change what had happened to those who were injured, adding that the decision came “too late” for its clients.
Brent Wisner, an attorney with Wisner Baum who said he represents the family of Christopher Hawley, who died after riding X2 in 2022 at age 22, said the family welcomed the decision to close the ride.
However, he said the closure did not change the fact that Hawley was killed by what he described as a dangerous roller coaster that had been allowed to operate for nearly 20 years.
Wisner also called for legal reforms and greater oversight. Hawley’s family reached a settlement with the park in August in a wrongful-death lawsuit.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the roller coaster originally opened as “X” in 2002 but was closed several months later to address design flaws.
The ride was closed again in 2007 so its cars could be replaced with lighter ones. It reopened in 2008 as X2 and has since been ridden by more than 16 million people.
