Six Flags to Add Seat Belts After Rider’s Fatal Ejection

Six Flags will add seat belts to Goliath and other roller coasters with similar restraints after a rider was fatally ejected from the Georgia ride. The company also said it has hired independent engineers and ride inspectors to review safety procedures across its parks. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died on October 12 after being ejected from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. The ride remains closed while state and local officials investigate his death. The cause of the ejection has not been established. Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly said the company would add seat belts to Goliath and other coasters with similar restraint systems. He did not identify which rides will receive the additional restraints or give a timetable for installations or reopening. The company said it would assess the engineers’ and inspectors’ findings and take appropriate action. Eight additional Six Flags coasters with similar restraints were also closed after Kariem’s death, according to reports published October 24 and 25. Those rides were located at parks in Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. The closures were described as precautionary while safety reviews and...