Four People, Including Two Teens, Rescued After Malfunction Strands Them 120 Feet In The Air On Six Flags Ride

A travel to Six Flags St. Louis took an unexpected move for a family who recovered themselves stuck much than 100 feet successful nan aerial aft a thrust malfunctioned.

Two adults and 2 teens were stranded connected nan Sky Screamer, a 236-foot-tall plaything ride, aft it malfunctioned Thursday evening, according to section media reports. They were suspended 120 feet supra nan crushed for much than 2 hours earlier rescue crews swooped in and brought them to safety.

The family was “absolutely amazing” and remained “so calm” passim nan ordeal, a spokesperson for nan amusement parkland section outlet KSDK. Rescue crews responded aft unit members weren’t capable to little nan ride’s swings connected their own, parkland officials said successful a connection sent to Fox2Now.

Rescuers from nan Eureka Fire Protection District and different agencies utilized a crane to retrieve nan family — and conscionable successful nan nick of time, too. A large wind pinch dense rain, precocious winds and lightning rolled done nan area astir 20 minutes aft nan family made it to nan ground. Those conditions could’ve analyzable nan rescue operation.

“[Crews] went up, contacted nan teenagers first, placed them successful harnesses, removed nan riders’ information instrumentality and transferred them to nan crane’s basket. They were past lowered to nan ground,” Eureka Fire Chief Scott Barthelmass told The Independent.

“Then nan aforesaid process was followed for nan 2 adults. A secondary strategy (involving ropes) was simultaneously group up successful lawsuit we encountered an rumor pinch nan crane aliases could not scope nan individuals. We did not person to usage that system,” he added.

There were nary injuries to nan family aliases first responders, Barthelmass confirmed.

It’s still unclear what caused nan Sky Screamer to malfunction. Staff regularly execute attraction tests connected nan rides, according to parkland officials.

"Every azygous day, our attraction tests it each day, our thrust operators trial it each day. It has to beryllium signed disconnected by aggregate attraction departments earlier it tin beryllium opened, and that's for each azygous thrust we have. If location aren't X magnitude of sign-offs, it conscionable does not open," a Six Flags St. Louis spokesperson told KSDK.

The Independent has requested remark from Enchanted Parks, which operates Six Flags St. Louis.