Japan roller coaster breaks down, leaving riders stranded 130 ft up
By Kathleen Magramo and Francesca Annio, CNN
(CNN) — Thrill-seeking riders were left stuck over a hundred feet in the air after a roller coaster came to an emergency stop at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
Thirty-two people were aboard the Jurassic Park-themed Flying Dinosaur attraction when it got stuck at the highest point some 40 meters (130 feet) above ground on Thursday, a media representative confirmed with CNN.
No one was injured and the passengers were guided to safety through an emergency staircase.
“These are things that can happen, so we followed our safety procedure and our staff guided the passengers to a safe place,” the representative said Friday, adding that the ride remains closed and under inspection.
The attraction takes guests soaring through the air on an “out of control” Pteranodon, one of the largest flying reptiles, and riders are “swung 360 degrees through the world of Jurassic Park,” according to the theme park’s website.
A spokesperson for Universal said, “The Flying Dinosaur is a coaster ride where guests sit in a prone, forward-facing position, which gives the sensation of flying. The ride came to a full and safe stop, which it is designed to do in certain conditions. Riders were not hanging upside down, and all guests were safely evacuated within 45 minutes. There were no injuries and the ride safely resumed operations that afternoon. Safety is our top priority and we continue to focus on making sure guests have a safe experience.”
In 2021, another Japanese theme park, Fuji-Q, closed down one of its high-speed roller coasters indefinitely for safety investigations after some riders reported injuries.
Correction: This article has been updated to better reflect the position riders were in at the time of the emergency stop. They were not upside down, but facing forwards in a prone position
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