Overview
- A rider, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, was ejected from the Goliath coaster and later died after riding the attraction on Monday, Oct. 12, witnesses and Cobb County police said.
- Six Flags closed Goliath immediately and temporarily grounded at least nine similar Bolliger & Mabillard coasters at parks in the U.S. and Canada while some parks have reopened for scheduled events with Goliath still shut.
- Georgia’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire confirmed Goliath passed its March annual inspection with no violations and said it is conducting a full review as the Cobb County Major Crimes Unit, Six Flags, and the manufacturer investigate.
- A recent CNN analysis and public records show hundreds of prior injury and malfunction reports at multiple Six Flags parks, and two investor lawsuits allege the company deferred maintenance after a 2024 merger, fueling scrutiny of the company’s upkeep and staffing.
- News coverage highlights that Goliath uses a clamshell lap restraint without a backup seatbelt, a design detail that has led parks and safety experts to review secondary restraints and could prompt wider operational or regulatory changes given the patchwork of state oversight.