Heartstopping moment huge crack appears on rollercoaster as people fly past on ride
In a scene that looks like it's been taken straight out of a Final Destination movie, a huge crack can be seen opening up on the supporting beam of a rollercoaster as clueless passengers fly straight past it.
The horrifying video was caught by dad, Jeremy Wagner, when he was visiting the Carowinds theme park in the US state of Charlotte with his daughter, son, niece, and his son’s friend on Friday (30 June).
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Wagner had just purchased season passes for his children to use at the park, and his daughter had taken full advantage of the day out by jumping on the 325-foot-tall Fury 325 rollercoaster eight times during their visit on Friday.
One of Carowinds’ main attractions, Fury 325 shoots customers around the track at speeds of up to 95 miles per hour. It's advertised by the theme park as the 'tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America'.
In case you're not clued up on your rollercoaster lingo, a 'giga coaster' is one which features a drop between 300 and 399 feet. Fury 325 first opened in 2015 , and is believed to have cost about £23.6 million ($30m) to build.
Wagner's daughter was obviously a huge fan of the ride, but it wasn't until her dad was in the car park that he spotted the huge crack - which appeared in one of the rollercoaster's support pillars as its carriage flew along the track.
"I was trying to shoot the video, and my hands were shaking because I knew how quick this could be catastrophic," Wagner told The New York Times.
He turned the footage over to park officials, and the ride was consequently closed.
After being made aware of the issue, Carowinds said its maintenance team would be conducting a 'thorough inspection' of the ride and that it would remain closed until it was completely repaired.
“Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process,” Carowinds told USA Today: “As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”
The North Carolina Department of Labor’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau is set to investigate the crack this week.
The other attractions at the park, and the connected water park, are set to be open as normal this week as Carowinds continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
LADbible has contacted Carowinds for comment.
Topics: US News, Theme Park, Viral
Emily Brown