At least 23 individuals were injured — three critically — after a mechanical failure caused a theme park ride to collapse at Green Mountain Park in Taif, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, July 31.
Footage of the incident, widely circulated on social media platform X, shows the amusement ride known as “360 Degrees” operating normally before catastrophe struck. The ride, designed to rotate passengers in a circular motion while flipping them mid-air, began as expected, lifting the strapped-in riders along a central vertical pole.
Moments into the ride, however, the central support structure abruptly snapped in half during an upward motion. The entire passenger platform plummeted to the ground, causing a violent impact that sent riders bouncing in their seats. The scene triggered panic among bystanders, who were heard screaming in the video.
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According to Khaleej Times, several riders were injured upon impact despite being secured in their seats. Eyewitnesses also reported that the fractured central pole recoiled forcefully and struck individuals standing nearby.
Emergency responders arrived promptly, and authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the structural failure.
