The SkyScreamer stopped about 260 feet in the air during a June 14 ride cycle.
AUSTELL, Ga. — Riders on the SkyScreamer at Six Flags Over Georgia were left suspended about 260 feet in the air June 14 after the swing ride stopped during operation, according to park officials and a rider who recorded the incident.
The stoppage lasted about 10 minutes and ended with all riders safely returned to the loading area. Six Flags described the event as a technical delay and said the ride’s safety system worked as designed. No injuries were reported, but video from the ride spread widely online and drew new attention to safety procedures at large amusement park attractions.
Cellphone video taken from the ride showed guests hanging high above the park as empty seats moved in the wind nearby. Content creator David Early said he was on the ride with a friend when it stopped. “For us to just be dangling 200 feet in the air, just stuck, was very, very terrifying,” Early said. He said his friend became scared and began crying while riders waited for the attraction to move again.
The SkyScreamer is a tall swing attraction that lifts riders into the air before rotating them above the park. During the June 14 incident, the ride paused while riders were already elevated. Early said some children cried during the stoppage and that he prayed while waiting for the ride to resume. One rider could be heard in the video saying they were stuck and did not want to ride again. The ride later restarted and brought guests back down to the loading position.
Six Flags Over Georgia first questioned whether the circulating video showed an older event, but later confirmed that the stoppage happened June 14. A park spokesperson said the attraction experienced a technical delay, comparing it to a check-engine light in a vehicle. The spokesperson said the system paused the ride, kept guests secure and allowed crews to complete a systems check before returning the ride to the platform.
The incident happened at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, west of Atlanta. The park is one of the region’s largest theme parks and includes several high-thrill rides. SkyScreamer attractions at Six Flags parks are known for their height and open-air seats, which can make even short pauses feel intense for riders. The Georgia incident also came days after a separate SkyScreamer stoppage at Six Flags St. Louis, where four people were stranded before being rescued. Officials have not said the two incidents were connected.
Early said the ride resumed after about 10 minutes and returned passengers safely to the ground. Six Flags said guests exited the ride after the systems check was completed. The park did not announce any injuries, charges or enforcement action tied to the Georgia stoppage. It was not immediately clear whether state inspectors reviewed the ride after the incident or whether the attraction was taken out of service for an extended period.
Another guest, Dylana Dowd, said the video and the account from riders would make her think twice before boarding similar attractions. Early, however, said he later returned to the park and rode the SkyScreamer again without a problem. The contrast showed how the same event left some guests shaken while others still trusted the ride after it completed the delayed cycle safely.
As of Saturday, Six Flags had described the incident as a brief technical delay with no reported injuries. The next key development would be any additional inspection finding or operational update from the park or state officials.
Author note: Last updated June 27, 2026.