Watch moment rollercoaster screeches to a stop 72ft in air leaving terrified thrillseekers dangling at 90 degree angle
ADRENALINE junkies shrieked as they dangled 72ft in the air after a theme park ride malfunctioned.
Revellers had to be prized free from their seats after Rage at Adventure Island in Essex after it got stuck at a 90 degree angle.
The ride in Southend-on-Sea is described as “the biggest and best rollercoaster that Adventure Island has to offer”.
It adds: “And with its loops, twists and flat-out speeds, Rage is guaranteed to leave even the most experienced rider short of breath and lost for words.”
The ride was gearing to take visitors to the top before plunging them down in a spine-tingling drop, but it screeched to a halt on the way up.
A clip shows riders laying flat on their backs before they’re helped out of their seats by staff.
Marc Miller, the site’s managing director, said the roller coaster would undergo “full testing measures” before being reopened.
He said the rescue operation was carried out by a “highly trained team”.
Marc said: “The riders were all very relaxed and comfortable during the process and back on the ground, safe and sound, very quickly.”
One eyewitness said: “This is happening way too often these days.”
The Sun has contacted the park for comment.
The incident happened on June 25 but this is not the first time that rollercoasters have posed serious threats.
Four people were hospitalised after a fairground ride malfunctioned at Lambeth Country Show in south London in June.
In April a huge glass panel flipped off a fairground ride in Cheshire and smashed as it hit the ground.
Two people were injured by the debris and treated by North West Ambulance Service.
Locals had been enjoying a fun day of festivities at the annual ‘Chestival’ fair at the University of Chester when chaos broke out.
Caitlin Colclough, from Kidsgrove, was rushed to Countess of Chester Hospital.
According to her mother, the 19-year-old had a concussion and whiplash, and underwent a CT scan.
Mandy Hancock, who spent the weekend in Chester caring for her daughter, said: “I was crying my eyes out watching the video.
Adventure Island's Rage ride
Adventure Island is voted the top-rated theme park in Essex.
On the park’s website it says that the ride is the “biggest and best rollercoaster that Adventure Island has to offer”.
While the speed of the ride is not mentioned on the page, it promises to “leave even the most experienced rider short of breath and lost for words”.
On the website it features a video of the carriage rocketing along the tracks as it does loop the loops and huge drops.
“When I watched in slow motion it was very, very scary. It has given me a few nightmares.
“I don’t know if she heard the bang or not, because obviously there was a lot of screaming on the ride from people on it and enjoying it.
“The piece landed on them, but the ride kept going. I thought it would have had an emergency stop.”
The CT scan came back all clear but doctors said that the concussion would take a few weeks to resolve.