The United States boasts stunning ocean views and numerous thrilling rides. Texas Galveston's famous attractionsHappy WharfPleasure Pier suffered a shocking accident on Friday (May 29). The park's signature attraction, the Iron Shark roller coaster, malfunctioned and stopped near the highest point of the track, leaving eight tourists stranded about 30 meters in the air for more than four hours. Fortunately, all of them were eventually rescued safely without injury.
According to multiple media reports, "Iron Shark" is one of the most popular attractions at Happy Pier. It features a vertical climbing track about 30.5 meters high, and the train plunges down at high speed after reaching the top, with a top speed of 83.7 kilometers per hour.
The accident occurred around 5 p.m. on the 29th. The train, carrying eight college students from Houston, was slowly ascending the tracks when it suddenly made an unusual noise and stopped just before it was about to plunge down. According to footage released by the media, the passengers were seated in two rows of four, facing the sky and suspended about 10 stories high, just one step away from the top of the tracks.
The park immediately attempted to restart the system, but the equipment failed to function, forcing them to urgently call the fire department for assistance. Due to the 30-meter-high location and the near-vertical position of the train carriage, the rescue operation was extremely difficult.
Galveston Fire Chief Mike Varela Jr. stated that firefighters used a large ladder truck for the high-altitude rescue, carefully harnessing each passenger before guiding them to the ladder basket and lowering them back to the ground in batches. The last passenger was not safely rescued until after 9 p.m., and the entire rescue operation lasted more than four hours.
Varela pointed out that although all passengers were frightened, none were injured, and they were all relieved and very happy after landing. However, having been trapped in the scorching sun for several hours, they are still undergoing dehydration and other related examinations.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the fire department and the park. Terry Turney, the operations manager of Happy Pier, stated that the facility's safety mechanisms are set to immediately cease operation upon detecting any anomalies, and that the shutdown occurred precisely because the safety mechanisms were activated that day. The park emphasized that "Iron Shark" will remain closed until a comprehensive inspection is completed and it passes safety testing.
