A horrifying incident occurred at an amusement park in Saudi Arabia when a ride known as the 360 Big Pendulum malfunctioned, resulting in a terrifying plunge for dozens of passengers. The incident, which was caught on camera, led to 23 injuries, with four of them being critical. The spinning wheel of the ride, filled with passengers, detached and fell towards the ground.
The incident took place last week at Green Mountain Park in Taif, located on the western coast of the country, about 175 miles east of the Red Sea. Videos shared on social media showed the ride swinging at high speed with passengers strapped in. The ride then broke apart with a chilling metallic snap and crunching sound, causing spectators to flee the scene.
Four of the injured individuals were immediately rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Eyewitnesses reported that some injuries were caused when the ride’s central support pole recoiled rapidly after the wheel detached, which was at a more than 90-degree angle relative to the ground at the time.
In a surprising twist, the wheel managed to right itself as it fell, landing relatively flat. This unexpected event may have prevented any fatalities, according to local media reports.
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority provided immediate medical assistance to the injured riders at the scene, which was described by several witnesses as “chaotic.” The injured were subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
In response to the incident, the Al-Hada regional government released a statement indicating that the governor of Taif, Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz, ordered the park to be closed pending an investigation. The investigation will also include safety assessments of other rides within the park.
This incident at Green Mountain Park is not the only amusement park disaster to occur this summer. Last month, a 9-year-old girl tragically drowned in a wave pool at Hersheypark’s water park in Pennsylvania. Witnesses reported seeing lifeguards pull the unresponsive third-grader from the pool and perform CPR on her for several minutes.