Eight students rescued from stalled Iron Shark coaster

Eight students were rescued from a stalled roller coaster at a Texas amusement park on Thursday after being stranded approximately 100 feet in the air for nearly four hours. The incident occurred on the Iron Shark ride at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier.

The Galveston Fire Department received a call around 5:37 p.m. after the roller coaster malfunctioned during its initial ascent, stopping just before its signature drop. Fire Chief Mike Varela Jr. said a specialized six-member crew used a ladder truck, which extended to a maximum height of 105 feet, to reach the stranded riders. The rescue operation was described as slow and methodical, with firefighters securing each student in a harness and carefully bringing them down one at a time. The process took roughly 20 minutes per person and continued after nightfall, with crews using headlamps to complete the evacuation. All eight passengers were safely on the ground by approximately 9:10 p.m.

The Houston Independent School District confirmed the riders were students from the Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy High School who were on a field trip. In a statement, the district expressed gratitude that...