Thrill-seekers were left dangling in mid-air for nearly three hours at a popular California theme park after a ride malfunctioned, prompting a complex rescue operation.
Approximately 20 people were on board the Sol Spin ride at Knott's Berry Farm in Southern California when it suddenly came to a halt at around 2pm, leaving many riders stuck in a horizontal position.
Aerial footage from abc7 showed the stranded riders stretching and swinging their legs as they waited for help to arrive. A spokesperson for the theme park confirmed that the ride had experienced technical difficulties and that efforts were underway to safely evacuate the guests.
Eventually, the ride was lowered, and the passengers were able to disembark, with at least one person requiring assistance in a wheelchair. The incident occurred at the 57-acre amusement park in Buena Park, California, which is owned and operated by Six Flags.
In a separate incident, a fight and a mysterious "popping noise" sparked panic at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, forcing police to issue a statement to quash false rumors. The chaos erupted as the park was closing around 10 pm on Thursday, with a witness describing how people rushed into a store where he was with his family following the "Happy Ever After" fireworks show.
Speaking to Fox 35 Orlando, he recounted how security directed the family to seek safety inside the store. While he didn't feel his life was "totally endangered", he observed that several individuals were "quite upset", with some resorting to prayer amidst the chaos, reports the Mirror US. Rumours of an active shooter quickly circulated, fuelled by posts on social media.