A family of four had to be rescued in St. Louis, Missouri, after the Six Flags Sky Screamer ride they were on stuck with them 120 feet in the air for nearly three hours.
At around 17:30 on Thursday, the trip suddenly failed and came to a standstill while the family — two adults and two children — rode the Sky Screamer, a rotating swing attraction that tops out at 236 feet, a Six Flags representative said KARE News.
Six flags officials called in emergency personnel to help after their first attempt to manually lower the swing ride failed.
“We were unable to lower the swings manually, so per safety protocol, the fire department was notified and called in to get guests off the ride,” Six Flags spokeswoman Elizabeth Gotway said. Leader. “A park representative held up the guests during the process and first responders were able to safely unload them.”
On two separate trips, rescue crew members hoisted technicians to the stranded riders, strapped them into seat belts and lowered them to the ground.
“Six Flags had a driver malfunction and 99 percent of the time they’re able to fix it on their own, but they weren’t able to last night,” said Eureka Fire Chief Scott Barthelmess. “There’s a high-angle tower rescue package, a group sent up to send people trained in it. That group was sent due to special equipment needs and such.”
All reportedly remained calm during the ordeal
According to park officials, the riders remained calm while waiting for assistance after first responders deployed a crane to reach them. Rescuers brought down the two teenagers first, then the parents. Neither rider required medical attention, according to Barthelmess.
“The family that was up there was absolutely amazing,” said a Six Flags spokesperson. “They were so calm. They had a great attitude.”
Six flags officials added that the weather made the rescue more difficult due to strong winds blowing through the area. But rescuers said they had trained for this specific trip just a year ago, so they were prepared.
“We finished the rescue at about 8:24 p.m. and the storm came right after about 8:50 or 9 p.m.,” he said.
Park officials said they are still investigating the cause of the failure.
“Every single day our maintenance tests it. Our ride operators test it every day,” a Six Flags spokesman said.
