A 14-year-old has died after falling from Icon Park’s recently opened freefall tower ride.
Authorities were called to the park on International Drive late Thursday night, following the incident. Video from before the ride leaves the ground show riders questioning if the ride has a seatbelt. (It does not.) As it lifts off, a voice can be heard yelling from the ground about seatbelts.
A look at the restraints on the Orlando Free Fall ride. They pull over the rider – similar to a roller coaster (no seat belts). 2 workers do safety checks and make sure restraints are locked. A 14-year-old boy tragically died in the ride last night. @fox35orlando pic.twitter.com/UuvjadcCJq
— Ryan Elijah FOX 35 (@ryanelijah) March 25, 2022
Graphic videos from the scene show the child coming loose from the ride’s seats as it drops and falling to the ground. The child’s body can be seen on the ground as ride workers question whether they ensured the ride’s restraints were closed.
The 14-year-old was taken to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries. John Stine, a spokesperson for the Slingshot Group which operates the ride, told Spectrum News that the shoulder restraint system on the ride “is sufficient.”
“Words can’t say how we feel,” Spokesperson John Stine said at a press conference. “Our hearts go out to the family of this young man, and that’s all we can say at this time.”
The fall is the second deadly accident in two years at the Orlando park. A construction worker performing a check on the park’s Starflyer attraction fell in 2020.
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