Israel
Israeli rollercoaster gets stuck mid-ride, leaving passengers hanging upside down
The Superland theme park said a passenger had pressed an emergency button, bringing the ride to a halt
October 2, 2023 10:38
The Superland theme park said a passenger had pressed an emergency button, bringing the ride to a halt
October 2, 2023 10:38Visitors to an Israeli amusement park got more than they bargained for at the weekend when a rollercoaster came to a halt mid-ride, leaving passengers suspended upside down.
The Kumba rollercoaster, at Superland, in Rishon Lezion, near Tel Aviv, paused unexpectedly on Sunday afternoon after a rider onboard pressed an emergency button.
Video clips shared online showed the rollercoaster halted mid-ride just before it reached its peak height of 164 feet.
.timesofisrael.com%2F%3Fpost_type%3Dliveblog_entryp%3D3109504אימה בפארק: עשרות נתקעו על רכבת הרים בסופרלנד | תיעוד@hadasgrinberg pic.twitter.com/UjQK2EVm9z
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) October 1, 2023
The park confirmed the ride was halted when an individual activated the emergency button.
Officials told reporters the ride was resumed after a short pause and went on to operate for the rest of the day.
The Kumba rollercoaster is a popular attraction at the park, transporting riders up to 50 metres high at speeds of 60 miles per hour.
Superland's website states: "If you do not have enough courage don’t you try to even get into this rollercoaster."
This was not the first time a ride has run into problems in an Israeli amusement park.
According to English-language Israeli news website Ynetnews, the popular Star ride at Luna Park in Tel Aviv was temporarily halted for a several hours after it encountered a problem in 2021.
The ride, which takes passengers up to 72 metres in the air, was eventually rectified and the terrified children onboard were safely return to solid ground.
To get more Israel news, click here to sign up for our free Israel Briefing newsletter.