A man died and several people were injured following an accident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in the US state of Georgia.
Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon at the amusement park.
Witnesses report seeing man fall
Several witnesses told Atlanta-based broadcaster 11Alive that they saw the victim fall from the roller coaster during the ride, striking parts of the structure as he descended.
Another witness claimed the fall was captured in the souvenir photograph automatically taken during the ride.
Investigators have not yet confirmed the cause of the incident and say all possibilities remain under examination.
Six Flags cooperating with investigation
Operator Six Flags said it responded immediately and is fully cooperating with investigators.
In a statement, the company expressed its "deep sadness" over the incident.
According to Six Flags, the Goliath roller coaster reaches speeds of more than 110km/h and a height of about 60 metres during a ride lasting approximately three-and-a-half minutes.
Similar rides closed as precaution
The company said it has temporarily closed nine similar attractions across six parks in North America as a precaution while investigations continue.
The incident comes weeks after Six Flags permanently closed a popular roller coaster at one of its California amusement parks.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Source: ANA-MPA
