RIDE FROM HELL

Rollercoaster Riders Stranded Mid-Ride Sparking Rescue Effort

All on board were safely rescued after the malfunction.

At least 20 thrill seekers in Australia are safe after being stranded atop a rollercoaster in brutal 80-plus-degree heat on Wednesday. The DC Rivals HyperCoaster at Warner Bros. Movie World in Queensland stopped unexpectedly after climbing more than 150 feet in the air. The ride, considered the highest in the southern hemisphere, was just about to enter a thrilling drop when the wheels halted. The malfunction, believed to be connected to a faulty sensor, forced staff at the park to launch an immediate rescue operation. Because temperatures were peaking in the midday heat, the passengers received umbrellas to shield them from the sun as they climbed, one by one, down the rollercoaster. “At all times throughout the stoppage, the guests on board were safe and our team were in constant communication with them,” an official at the park said, adding that the stoppages are “proof rides systems and operators are doing as they are designed and trained to do to keep our guests safe.” The rescue operation took more than two hours. This is just the latest dramatic rescue from a malfunctioning fair ride. Just a few weeks ago, several children were retrieved by forklift from a broken ride in Wales.