A 14-year-old boy died from his injuries after slipping and falling from his seat on the 400-foot-drop Orlando Free Fall ride at Orlando’s ICON theme park while his parents and others watched in horror.
According to a report in The Daily Mail, the Free Fall ride is a new attraction at the theme park. The fatal ride accident occurred on March 24. Park employees initially thought the boy’s body was a piece of the ride that had broken off until they saw him lying on the ground.
Horrific Incident on New Free Fall Ride
It is unclear what the minimum height restriction for the Free Fall ride is or how he could have fallen out of his harness. This is the second accident at the Orlando amusement park in two years. In 2020, a park employee died while working on the StarFlyer ride. In this latest tragic case, the teen, who was later identified as Tyre Sampson, was taken to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The Orlando Free Fall ride opened up in December 2021 and stands at 430 feet tall. It can accommodate up to 30 people and plunges to the ground at 75 mph, rotating around a central tower as it rises. After it reaches the top, riders tilt forward and face the ground briefly before free-falling at approximately 75 mph.
It was unclear how the teen came free from the ride’s seatbelt or how many people were on the tower then. Police have opened an investigation into this incident. The SlingShot Group owns the Free Fall ride, and according to its CEO, they run it “with all safety precautions in mind.”
We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of this deceased victim. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Liability Issues
In this case, a thorough investigation will be needed to determine if the harness was not working or if the Free Fall ride was poorly designed or maintained in a manner that was unsafe for guests and visitors. In this case, the boy’s family may have a wrongful death lawsuit against the amusement park and the ride’s owners.
A wrongful death claim is usually filed in cases where negligence or wrongdoing played a part in the decedent’s death. Such claims seek to secure not just monetary compensation, but also hold the at-fault parties accountable for their negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled amusement park accidents will be able to advise victims or families regarding their legal rights and options.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10651331/Teen-dies-fall-Florida-amusement-park-ride.html
