Six Flags Plans Additional Restraints After Father’s Tragic Death on Goliath

Six Flags is preparing to add seat belts to several of its roller coasters following the death of a guest at its Georgia park earlier this month. The changes will affect Goliath, the attraction involved in the tragedy, along with other rides that use similar restraint systems.

The announcement comes as nine roller coasters across the company’s parks remain closed, with safety reviews underway. Six Flags has identified three rides that will receive additional seat belts, although reopening dates remain uncertain.

In an Oct. 23 statement, Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly outlined the company’s response to the death of 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, who was ejected from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia on Oct. 12.

The company is also bringing in independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to examine safety procedures across its parks. However, investigators have yet to determine what caused Kariem to fall from the attraction.

Six Flags Plans Additional Seat Belts and Safety Inspections

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Please visit the #SixFlags blog to read a message from our President and CEO, John Reilly:

— Six Flags (@SixFlags) October 24, 2026

Six Flags has confirmed that three roller coasters will receive additional seat belts: Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, and Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois.

A company spokesperson confirmed the plans to the Chicago Sun-Times. The spokesperson said Raging Bull’s reopening will depend on engineering requirements, parts availability, and necessary approvals.

All three attractions currently use locking restraints known as clamshell lap bars, which fit over riders’ laps and upper legs. According to Attractions Magazine, Goliath did not have a secondary seat belt at the time of the fatal incident.

Six other roller coasters remain closed as a precaution. They include Behemoth and Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario, Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds in North Carolina, and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island in Ohio.

All nine affected rides were manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard and use similar restraint designs. Unlike the three attractions slated for new seat belts, the other six already have supplemental restraints.

The safety measures won’t stop with those nine coasters. Reilly said Six Flags has brought in independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to review safety procedures across its parks. The company also plans to reinforce employee training and operational procedures.

The parks themselves remain open, with more than 220 roller coasters operating across Six Flags properties, according to the company’s Oct. 23 announcement.

Investigation Into Fatal Goliath Incident Continues

The changes follow the Oct. 12 tragedy at Six Flags Over Georgia, when Kariem was thrown from Goliath, a roller coaster that reaches approximately 200 feet in height.

According to the Cobb County Police Department, preliminary witness and employee interviews indicate Kariem struck other riders before falling beneath the attraction.

Georgia’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire is investigating the circumstances of his death, including the ride’s equipment and operating records.

In an Oct. 15 update, Georgia’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire said Goliath’s most recent state inspection, conducted March 16, reported no violations, deficiencies, citations, or red tags. However, inspection records obtained by WSB-TV included a notation that bushings needed replacement. Authorities have not established whether that maintenance concern had any connection to the fatal incident.

Goliath remains closed while the state investigates. Georgia officials will determine when, and under what conditions, the ride may be permitted to reopen.

Neither the additional seat belts nor the closures establish that Goliath’s existing restraint system malfunctioned. Investigators have not announced an official cause.

Reilly acknowledged that the company faces a difficult task in rebuilding confidence among guests.

“I know trust is earned through actions and not words,” he wrote in the Oct. 23 statement.

Six Flags has pledged further updates as its safety reviews continue, but the company has not announced when the new restraints will be installed or when the affected rides may reopen.