SeaWorld Orlando temporarily closes Mako after Six Flags Georgia coaster death

ORLANDO, Fla. - The death of a man who authorities say was ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia is renewing questions about amusement ride safety in Florida, where a similar coaster has been temporarily closed.

SeaWorld Orlando has temporarily closed its Mako roller coaster, which is manufactured by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The Swiss company also manufactured the Six Flags' Goliath coaster, which was involved in the deadly incident Monday.

Mako roller coaster closed at SeaWorld Orlando

What they're saying:

The decision to close the coaster was made "out of an abundance of caution," a SeaWorld Orlando spokesperson told FOX 35.

SeaWorld said that the safety of guests and its staff is its top priority.

"We adhere to the highest safety standards," the spokesperson said. "Our staff and technicians routinely inspect our rides and work closely with ride manufacturers and other engineering and safety experts to ensure we consistently meet and exceed the highest safety standards and guidelines."

Mako opened at the park in 2016. It reaches speeds of 73 mph and heights of 200 feet.

What we don't know:

SeaWorld did not say how long its Mako coaster would remain closed, nor when it would reopen.

Guest dies after falling off Six Flags' Goliath coaster in Georgia

The backstory:

A man died Monday after he was ejected from his seat while riding the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.

The man, who has been identified as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, reportedly hit other riders as he fell to the ground.

Several park visitors told officials they witnessed the fall.

Attorney sees similarities to Tyre Sampson case

The other side:

The circumstances are drawing attention from attorneys who represented the family of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall drop tower at ICON Park in 2022.

Michael Haggard, whose law firm sued ICON Park and ride manufacturer Funtime Handels in connection with Sampson's death, said the Georgia accident immediately raised questions about Goliath's restraint system.

"You start to wonder immediately, you know, did a restraint on this roller coaster fail or were there not dual restraints?" Haggard said.

Florida strengthened ride safety requirements

Haggard's firm successfully pushed for stricter amusement ride safety regulations in Florida following Sampson's death.

Florida rides now require a primary harness and a backup restraint, such as a seat belt or another restraint system. There is no equivalent federal system requiring the same protections nationwide.

"We need to be uniform in what we're doing to prevent these tragedies from occurring," Haggard said.

Are safety measures keeping pace?

Are safety measures keeping pace?

Haggard said competition among theme parks to build bigger and more thrilling attractions can create additional safety concerns.

"I think what you're seeing, too, is the way to get more people to the park is the scarier and bigger roller coaster," Haggard said. "That's the way to generate excitement."

But Haggard said safety measures must evolve alongside increasingly extreme attractions.

"The problem with that is the safety's not keeping up, and that's a real issue," he said.

Six Flags temporarily shuts down other coasters

By the numbers:

Six Flags temporarily closed several roller coasters at its parks in the United States and Canada following the deadly incident.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks," Six Flags said in a statement, according to FOX 5 in Atlanta. "The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities."

What to know about Goliath and B&M

Goliath is what's known as a hypercoaster and reaches speeds of 70 mph and heights of 200 feet.

B&M has made several hypercoaster models currently in operation at several parks around the world, according to its website:

• Mako, SeaWorld Orlando
• Goliath, Six Flags Over Georgia
• Candymonium, Hersheypark
• Shambhala, PortAdventurea Park
• Diamondback, King's Island
• Silver Star, Europa-Park
• Nitro, Six Flags Great Adventure

B&M has also made several other coasters featured at Florida theme parks, including SheiKra, Manta, Phoenix Rising, Montu, Penguin Trek, Kumba, and Pipeline: The Surf Coaster.

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