Six Flags fatal Goliath incident in Georgia: what the closed roller coasters have in common
Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six parks following the fatal Oct. 12, 2026, incident aboard Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. Now, one of those coasters has reopened as safety reviews continue at other parks. The closures have raised questions about what the affected rides have in common, how their designs differ and why some were taken out of service as a precaution.
The closures are precautionary as authorities investigate what happened at the Georgia amusement park, located northwest of Atlanta. This article compares the nine roller coasters temporarily closed by Six Flags following the fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia.
A brief summary of the incident follows the comparison, preceded by a content warning because eyewitness accounts include details some readers may find disturbing.
Six Flags to add seat belts to Goliath and similar roller coasters
On Oct. 23, Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly announced that the company will add seat belts to Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia and other roller coasters with similar restraints following the fatal Oct. 12 incident.
On Oct. 25, Six Flags representatives confirmed that Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America and Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure will also receive seat belts.
Courtesy of Six Flags
Six Flags has engaged independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to review safety procedures across its parks.
Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain reopens after precautionary closure
As of Oct. 16, Six Flags Magic Mountain in California has reopened its Goliath roller coaster following a precautionary closure prompted by the fatal Oct. 12 incident at Six Flags Over Georgia.
In an official statement, Magic Mountain Park President Brian Oerding emphasized that the two Goliath roller coasters are separate attractions built by different manufacturers.
The California coaster was among nine Six Flags roller coasters temporarily closed as the company reviewed attractions following the incident.
Nine roller coasters temporarily closed
The response has extended beyond Georgia. According to The Associated Press, Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six parks following the incident.
Among the affected attractions are Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois and Diamondback and Orion at Kings Island in Ohio.
The closures include attractions at parks that operated under the Cedar Fair name before the companies merged in 2024.
- Raging Bull — Six Flags Great America
- Goliath — Six Flags Magic Mountain (reopens on Oct. 16)
- Nitro — Six Flags Great Adventure
- Diamondback — Kings Island
- Orion — Kings Island
- Leviathan — Canada’s Wonderland
- Behemoth — Canada’s Wonderland
- Fury 325 — Carowinds
- Thunder Striker — Carowinds
Raging Bull, Diamondback and Orion, like Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, were manufactured by Swiss roller coaster company Bolliger & Mabillard.
1. Raging Bull — Six Flags Great America
Raging Bull is a B&M hypercoaster that opened in 1999 in Gurnee, Illinois. Its layout features a first drop into a tunnel, sweeping banked turns and airtime hills. Its 208-foot drop is greater than its 202-foot height because the track descends into a tunnel.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 202 feet
- Top speed: 73 mph
- Track length: 5,057 feet
As of Nov. 1, 2026, Six Flags Great America has reached the end of its 2026 season, and Raging Bull never reopened following the fatal Goliath accident in Georgia.
The coaster is also among three receiving additional seat belts. We’ve updated our ongoing tracker with the latest.
2. Goliath — Six Flags Magic Mountain (reopened Oct. 16)
Opened in 2000 in Valencia, California, Goliath is a Giovanola-built hypercoaster featuring a 255-foot first drop, an underground tunnel and a high-speed helix. It is the only non-B&M coaster among the nine listed closures.
- Manufacturer: Giovanola
- Height: 235 feet
- Top speed: 85 mph
- Track length: 4,500 feet
Park President Brian Oerding emphasized that California’s Goliath and Georgia’s Goliath are separate attractions built by different manufacturers.
3. Nitro — Six Flags Great Adventure
Nitro opened in 2001 at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. This B&M hypercoaster is known for its large drops, extended airtime hills and high-speed turns.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 230 feet
- Top speed: 80 mph
- Track length: 5,394 feet
The similarities between Nitro and Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia have also been observed firsthand by Attractions Magazine. During a 2020 visit to Six Flags Great Adventure, contributor Justin S. Landers noted that Nitro’s layout reminded him of the Georgia coaster.
Both are B&M hypercoasters known for their large drops and airtime hills.
This coaster will receive seat belts before reopening; no timeframe has been announced.
4. Diamondback — Kings Island
Diamondback opened in 2009 at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. The B&M hypercoaster features open-air seating, a series of airtime hills and a splashdown effect near the end of the ride.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 230 feet
- Top speed: 80 mph
- Track length: 5,282 feet
5. Orion — Kings Island
Orion opened in 2020 at Kings Island. Classified as a giga coaster because of its 300-foot-plus drop, Orion features a high-speed layout with large hills and banked turns.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 287 feet
- First drop: 300 feet
- Top speed: 91 mph
- Track length: 5,321 feet
6. Leviathan — Canada’s Wonderland
Leviathan opened in 2012 at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. It was B&M’s first giga coaster and features a 306-foot first drop and high-speed turns.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 306 feet
- Top speed: 92 mph
- Track length: 5,486 feet
7. Behemoth — Canada’s Wonderland
Behemoth opened in 2008, four years before Leviathan. The B&M hypercoaster features a sequence of large airtime hills and open-air seating with staggered rows.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 230 feet
- Top speed: 77 mph
- Track length: 5,318 feet
8. Fury 325 — Carowinds
Fury 325 opened in 2015 at Carowinds, which straddles the North Carolina–South Carolina state line. The B&M giga coaster features a 320-foot first drop and a course that passes beneath a pedestrian bridge.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 325 feet
- Top speed: 95 mph
- Track length: 6,602 feet
9. Thunder Striker — Carowinds
Originally named Intimidator, Thunder Striker opened in 2010 and received its current name in 2024. The B&M hypercoaster features a series of airtime hills and a layout designed around sustained speed.
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Height: 232 feet
- Top speed: 80 mph
- Track length: 5,316 feet
Attractions Magazine has contacted Six Flags to ask how the nine roller coasters were selected for temporary closure, whether their designs or restraint systems factored into the decision, and what inspections or evaluations will be required before the rides reopen. We will update this article as additional information becomes available.
The remaining portion of this article recaps the fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia. Some eyewitness descriptions may be disturbing to some readers.
Goliath at La Ronde also closes for safety review
Montreal’s La Ronde has confirmed that Goliath is temporarily closed as a precaution following the Georgia incident.
The park told Le Journal de Montréal that it is conducting a detailed safety review with the ride’s manufacturer and will keep the coaster closed until that review is complete.
Goliath at La Ronde and Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia are closely related roller coasters. Both opened in 2006, were manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), and are steel hypercoasters with no inversions. Both coasters use individual lap bars.
La Ronde is under separate ownership from Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
Mako at SeaWorld Orlando closed for six days as a precaution
SeaWorld Orlando temporarily closed its Mako roller coaster following the fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia that took place on Oct. 12.
Mako closed on Oct. 13 and reopened one week later on Oct. 20.
Mako is a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster that opened in 2016. The attraction stands 200 feet tall, reaches speeds of up to 73 mph and features individual lap-bar restraints. It shares its manufacturer and general coaster classification with Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Courtesy of SeaWorld
Goliath incident leaves one dead, several injured
The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, according to local authorities. WSB-TV reported that four people were injured in addition to the person who died.
Witnesses interviewed by Atlanta television station 11Alive described seeing a man fall from the Goliath roller coaster during the ride. One witness said the passenger struck the train multiple times and appeared in photographs captured by the ride’s automated camera system.
Following the emergency, Goliath stopped operating, and crews evacuated passengers from a train that had stopped on an elevated section of track.
Six Flags issued a statement expressing condolences to the victim’s family.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” the company said. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones.”
The company said it was supporting affected guests and employees and cooperating with investigators.
Investigation continues
Goliath opened at Six Flags Over Georgia in 2006. The roller coaster stands approximately 200 feet tall and reaches speeds of up to 70 mph. Detectives with the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit are investigating the fatal incident.
Update, Oct. 13, 2026: Cobb County police have identified the man who died following the Oct. 12 incident at Six Flags Over Georgia as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta. According to police, preliminary interviews with witnesses and park employees indicate that Kariem was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster, struck other riders and fell beneath the attraction. Several other people were injured.
The circumstances that led to the ejection remain under investigation. Cobb County police and the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire are investigating the incident.
Kariem worked at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in Atlanta. His family remembered him as a passionate educator who loved his city and cared deeply about bringing families together, according to 11Alive. Atlanta Public Schools also paid tribute to Kariem, describing him as a cherished member of the school community whose impact on students and staff will be deeply missed.
Additional information about the investigation and the affected roller coasters is expected as officials release further details.
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