Six Flags to close world-famous roller coaster after CNN investigation reveals years of injuries, deaths

Six Flags announced Tuesday that it would permanently close its most famous roller coaster, about a month after a CNN investigation revealed a long history of injuries and deaths linked to the ride.

Six Flags Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding wrote in a blog post Tuesday that although its X2 roller coaster has “consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it is the right thing to do.”

He added: “Travel safety is the cornerstone of our business, and when we see customer confidence being affected, we take it seriously. »

Claims that roller coasters injured passengers date back more than a decade, but had been largely kept secret until CNN’s investigation last month documented more than a dozen reports of serious injuries and hospitalizations associated with the ride, including at least two deaths. Most recently, two women ended up in the same Santa Clarita emergency room with brain injuries after riding an X2 just six days apart in July.

The ride was temporarily closed a day after the second woman was injured.

Last week, lawyers suing the park said more than 100 people have claimed they suffered brain injuries from roller coasters in the past two years alone.

X2, Six Flags Magic Mountain’s flagship attraction in Southern California for nearly two decades, has long attracted roller coaster enthusiasts from around the world for its so-called 4th-dimensional quality – with seats that spin 360 degrees around the track as trains reach speeds of nearly 80 miles per hour for about two minutes.

This is a developing story and will be updated.