Canada's Wonderland closes two coasters after fatal Six Flags incident in Georgia

VAUGHAN · Canada's Wonderland has closed two of its major roller coasters following a fatal incident on a similar ride at a Six Flags park in Georgia. The Leviathan and Behemoth coasters were closed on Monday out of an abundance of caution, a park spokesperson said. The closure comes after a 42-year-old man was killed and several others were injured on the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia outside Atlanta. Six Flags has temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across six of its parks in North America.

Grace Peacock, a spokesperson for Canada's Wonderland, confirmed the closures. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks," said Peacock. "The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities." She said there is no timeline for when the Leviathan and Behemoth rides will reopen. The park, located in Vaughan, Ont., remains open on its regular fall schedule of Thursdays through Sundays.

The incident in Georgia occurred on Monday. Police identified the man who died as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. Authorities said he was thrown from his seat on the Goliath coaster, fell and struck the ride multiple times. The cause of death has not been disclosed, and detectives with the Cobb County Police Department's major crimes unit are investigating. The accident left riders in the next train of cars stuck on a steep incline, and news footage showed park workers rescuing them.

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Six Flags Over Georgia evacuated the park after the incident. The Goliath roller coaster, which opened in 2006, is described as a hypercoaster that reaches speeds of about 113 km/h and heights of 61 metres. The death would be at least the seventh at the Georgia park. It also comes less than two weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced it is retiring its X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride.

The temporarily closed rides at Canada's Wonderland and the Goliath coaster in Georgia were all manufactured by the same company, Bolliger and Mabillard. Montreal's La Ronde amusement park, which was recently sold by Six Flags, also has a Bolliger and Mabillard-built coaster named Goliath. A spokesperson for La Ronde said its Goliath roller coaster has been temporarily closed while the park conducts a safety review with the ride's manufacturer. "We are taking this additional time to carefully review the attraction," the park said in a statement. "It will not reopen until this review is complete and we are fully satisfied that it can be operated safely."

Canada's Wonderland opened in 1981 and was acquired by Paramount in 1993 before being purchased by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. in 2006. Cedar Fair and Six Flags merged in 2024. The park features 18 roller coasters. The Behemoth, which opened in 2008, climbs to 70 metres and features a 75-degree drop with speeds reaching 125 km/h. The Leviathan, which opened in 2012, has a 97.7-metre climb and an 80-degree drop, reaching speeds of 148 km/h. Six Flags Entertainment did not immediately respond to questions about why specific rides were shut down and what would be done before they reopen.

With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News and National Post