German theme park reopens after death on roller coaster
August 9, 2022
The Wild & Freizeitpark Klotten, known as Klotti Park, reopened its doors to visitors on Tuesday following a deadly accident on a roller coaster over the weekend.
The amusement park, located in the western German town of Klotten near the Mosel River, said although the ride affected had been cleared for use, it would remain closed ahead of extra optional inspections.
What happened?
On Saturday, a 57-year-old woman died following an accident on a roller coaster called "The Hot Ride."
The woman, identified as a German national, slipped from her seat while the coaster was traveling through a curve, state prosecutors in Koblenz said in a statement.
She fell approximately 8 meters (26 feet) and died at the scene.
According to the park, the coaster has a maximum velocity of 60 kilometers per hour (37.3 miles per hour) and is 550 meters long. At its highest point, the tracks are 17.5 meters off the ground.
How has the park responded?
In a statement on Tuesday, Klotti Park announced that visitors would once again be allowed back in now that local investigations had concluded.
"The Hot Ride" coaster was cleared for use by law enforcement, but would remain "temporarily" closed until another technical inspection could be carried out.
"We are still very affected and it is difficult for us to return to everyday life. Our thoughts are with the relatives, we wish them much strength in these difficult times," the park said.
What have authorities said?
Prosecutors in Koblenz launched an investigation into the accident and are seeking to establish whether the woman's death was a result of negligence on behalf of "a third party."
Authorities hope an autopsy will help provide more information on what led to her death, and police have asked witnesses to come forward.
At this time, prosecutors said there were no indications of criminal conduct.
While accidents have occurred at theme parks in Germany in the past, very few are fatal. In 2019, a man was killed at a Christmas market in Berlin after being hit by a roller coaster carriage.
rs/msh (dpa, AFP)