We expect to have a good time and be safe when we visit amusement parks. Sadly, tragedy can strike at the happiest of places. And although accidents at theme parks are incredibly rare, some park guests have lost their lives on popular attractions. The most recent death was reported at the Luna Cape d'Agde theme park in southern France.
Two teenagers were involved in an accident aboard the Adrénaline attraction. A 17-year-old boy died from his injuries, and emergency crews rushed a 19-year-old girl to a hospital for treatment. According to NDTV, the teens fell approximately 180 feet from the attraction and hit objects on the way down.
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The weather may have played a role in the accident.
The accident happened August 5, when the area was experiencing strong winds. The US Sun reported that Cap d'Adge Mayor Gilles d'Ettore said the weather condition was “very rare for Agde.” The news outlet explained that prosecutors will investigate whether the high winds contributed to the accident on Adrénaline.
The ride reportedly experienced a malfunction.
The Adrenaline attraction reportedly requires that riders be strapped into a harness before being launched 180 feet into the air. The US Sun reported that Witnesses alleged a cable deviated from its normal path, which was reported to have caused the passengers to be ejected from their seats. The riders allegedly hit an obstacle on the way down, which hurt both teens.
Multiple individuals are under investigation.
The accident prompted the closure of the park that day, NDTV reported. The news outlet also mentioned that four people, including the Luna Cape d'Agde manager, were being questioned about what happened.
The Mirror reported the teenage boy was pronounced dead on the scene and the teen girl was taken to the hospital with multiple traumas. Investigators plan to investigate whether the ride should have been operating during the reported bad weather or if a mechanical failure caused the accident.
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Another guest had been injured on Adrenaline in the past.
Per the US Sun, Midi Libre reported that Adrenaline caused another injury in the recent past. A man received stitches to his face after allegedly grazing his head on the ground while riding the attraction in 2019.
A couple was reportedly injured in 2015 while riding a slingshot ride, the US Sun reported. The ride allegedly snapped during their experience and left them hanging in the air for more than an hour waiting for a rescue. The news outlet reported that the woman left with a broken leg but her partner was just bruised.
There are more theme park injuries annually than we may realize.
Far & Wide reported in July 2023 that 30,000 amusement park-related accidents happen yearly. Thankfully, fatalities are rare. The website noted that the odds of being killed in an amusement park accident in the United States are 1 in 16 million. That is highly more unlikely than being struck by lightning, which has a 1 in 700,000 likelihood of occurring.
But Far & Wide reminds guests to be careful. “Still, it's worth knowing what can happen when park rides go wrong and exercising caution.”
