22 South Koreans Trapped Upside Down As Roller Coaster Unexpectedly Stops Midair

On Saturday evening, a roller coaster at a theme park in the southeastern city of Gyeongju stopped mid-air, leaving 22 riders trapped upside down for about 20 minutes. The incident happened at 5:37 PM, with the ride halting 55 meters above the ground.

Photo of the roller coaster stuck in midair. | Yonhap News

No injuries were reported, and all passengers were safely returned to the station by park operators who manually pushed the roller coaster back.

Gyeongju officials on Sunday mentioned that the stoppage was triggered by the roller coaster’s safety sensor and is not considered a major accident. They confirmed that the ride has been temporarily closed and will only resume operations after a thorough inspection.

The stoppage was caused by the activation of the roller coaster’s safety sensor, and it didn’t constitute a major accident. The roller coaster has been grounded and will resume operations after a close inspection.

— Gyeongju official

Another angle of the massive roller coaster in Gyeongju World. | Trip

This isn’t the first time this roller coaster faced such an issue. A similar incident happened in July 2022 when the ride got stuck at the same height. The repetition of such incidents brings up questions regarding the safety and maintenance of the ride.

The theme park in question, “Gyeongju World,” is a well-known attraction. The park is divided into three main areas: “X-Zone,” “Snow Sled Garden,” and “Wizard Garden.” The “X-Zone” is home to thrilling rides such as the Phaethon, Megadrop, Tornado, and the Exploration of the Grand Canyon.

The popular theme park has five roller coasters of different sizes. | Flickr

The roller coaster will stay closed until a complete safety check is done to ensure the well-being of the park’s visitors. The park’s management aims to find out why the safety sensor was activated and will take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

The event, though unsettling for the riders, showed the importance of having safety measures in place. The quick action by the park’s operators ensured the safety of all the riders and prevented any injuries. The city officials and the amusement park are working together to investigate the incident further to avoid such situations in the future, ensuring a safe experience for all visitors.