THEME PARK HORROR

Dozens Trapped Midair for Hours After Roller Coaster Malfunctions

The children and one adult were stranded around 25 feet above the ground.

A roller coaster malfunction left 15 children and an adult trapped for hours after they became stuck on the Wave Twister ride at the Adventureland theme park in New York. The ride, which opened in March, broke down just before 7:30 p.m., leaving its riders stranded until after 10:30 p.m., well after the sun had set. “A couple kids were crying. I was trying to calm them down,” a sixth grader told CBS New York. According to police, the youngest passenger was a five-year-old accompanied by their 40-year-old parent. The remaining children were aged between eight and 12. They were about 25 feet above the ground before first responders rescued them one by one. In a statement to People, Adventureland said: “We understand the concern of the riders and their families who were involved today, and we will be working with our ride consultants to fully assess what happened.” The statement added that the ride will remain closed pending a full review. At this time, it remains unclear what caused the stoppage.

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