Carowinds Announces Immediate End of Operations, No Reopening Date Confirmed
Two roller coasters at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, have stopped running, and the park has not said when they will return. The shutdown follows a fatal incident on a similar ride at Six Flags Over Georgia and affects attractions built by the same manufacturer with the same restraint style.
What Happened in Georgia
On Monday, October 12, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after being “ejected” from his seat on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. The 42-year-old Atlanta educator was riding with his son, who witnessed his death. On-ride photos of the man after he left his seat spread widely online.
Police and witnesses say Kariem was “ejected from the ride” and hit other riders and the coaster several times before falling near a Fright Fest haunted house building. When the train returned to the station, passengers screamed at the ride operators, who emergency-stopped the second train on the track and evacuated its riders.
Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard built Goliath, which uses clamshell-style lap bars. As investigators work to determine the cause, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has shut down B&M rides with comparable restraints at its parks, citing an “abundance of caution.”
The Two Carowinds Rides
WRAL News reported on Tuesday, October 13, that Carowinds had closed Fury 325 and Thunder Striker, both B&M coasters with the same clamshell-style lap bars as Goliath.
Thunder Striker, once known as Intimidator, debuted in 2010, with secondary seatbelts added in 2014 as a backup measure. Fury 325 opened in 2015 and differs from Goliath by combining retractable seat belts with a clamshell-style lap bar. It has a history of closures, including one in 2023 after a viral video showed a cracked support beam, and another lasting two weeks in July 2026 because of a foundation issue.
Carowinds has not announced reopening dates for either ride, or whether any modifications are planned.
Other Parks Affected
Carowinds is one of six Six Flags-owned parks that closed nine coasters in all:
- Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America
- Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure
- Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland
- Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island
SeaWorld Orlando, which Six Flags does not own, also closed Mako, a B&M coaster with the same clamshell-style lap bar and no additional seatbelt.
Olivier Bolliger, manager for B&M, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the family and those affected. We are actively investigating the incident.”
Have you ever visited Carowinds? Tell Disney Dining about your experience in the comments.
