New details emerge on dad’s final moments before falling to his death on Six Flags rollercoaster
The man who fell to his death from a Six Flags roller coaster is believed to have passed out before the tragedy occurred.
On Monday (12 October), it was revealed that Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem had died after falling out of the Goliath ride at a Six Flags theme park in Atlanta, Georgia.
The rollercoaster reaches speeds of 70mph, with a maximum height of 200 feet.
An investigation is currently ongoing to determine how the father was ejected from the ride, with the 42-year-old understood to have hit other passengers as he fell from the carriage.
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One witness told WXIA Kariem hit the rollercoaster car three different times after falling, before falling onto the roof of a haunted house attraction below.
While initial reports suggested that Kariem had been travelling with his son, family member Joshua Nelson has now revealed the Atlanta schoolteacher had also been at the park with his 13-year-old niece to celebrate her birthday when the tragedy occurred.
Nelson heartbreakingly told CNN that Kariem's niece had been sitting next to him on the rollercoaster when he fell out of his seat.
Speaking to local outlet WSBTV about the incident, Nelson explained that he'd received a phone call from his daughter moments after Kariem fell from the ride, with the teenager explaining that he'd either fainted or passed out moments before.
"What she told me on that phone call, she said he fainted, or he passed out," Nelson explained, adding that it appeared as though his harness had allegedly snapped.
"They went up and down, up and down, up and down. It went up again, his latch snapped or came loose, and he fell. She told me he fell off the rollercoaster."
Nelson added that he contacted Kariem's wife, Eboni, who was waiting separately for the group.
He went on to reveal that Eboni heard park staff talking about an accident on the ride and that someone had died. After hearing the announcement, she immediately feared it was her husband.
Kariem is described as being a 'passionate educator' who 'loved his city' in tributes, with a family statement issued to 11Alive revealing that he'd survived two cancer diagnoses and had been in a fiery car crash with his daughter just weeks before his tragic death.
Wesley International Academy, the school where Kariem worked, wrote in a statement on Facebook: "Mr Kariem was deeply loved and respected, and his absence will be felt throughout our school community.
"His love for Wesley, dedication to our students, and commitment to our school community were evident in everything he did."
Cobb County police revealed that the father of two was found 'unresponsive and not breathing' underneath the ride and later pronounced dead.
"Preliminary information gathered through witness and employee interviews indicates Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction," read a statement from a police spokesperson.
"We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today," a spokesperson for Six Flags Over Georgia told LADbible earlier this year.
"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.
"The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation informed The Associated Press that similar rollercoasters at other parks had been closed 'out of an abundance of caution'.
Topics: US News
Brenna Cooper