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Eight people on the roller coaster were safely rescued.
On May 28, the Iron Shark roller coaster at Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas, stopped 100 feet in the air due to a malfunction, and all eight passengers were rescued after an hours-long ordeal.
According to NBC News, Pleasure Pier Chief Operating Officer Terry Turney said in a statement that the fire department was called shortly after 5 p.m. local time after the ride “failed during its initial ascent.” “However, as designed, we immediately stopped to ensure everyone’s safety. Our focus quickly shifted to the safety of our eight guests.”
“We therefore requested the assistance of the fire department and were able to safely remove all guests from the attraction,” he added.
Fire Chief Mike Barrera Jr. said crews arrived around 5:30 p.m. and rescued the passengers, who were placed one by one in safety belts and guided into the truck’s basket and lowered to the ground.
“Once they reached safety, they were able to use their skills to calm everyone down and reassure them that the equipment they were using would keep them safe,” Varela said of the rescue team.
