Authorities in Galveston were rescuing eight people from the galveston roller coaster Iron Shark after it got stuck around 5:35 p.m. at Pleasure Pier. Firefighters used a tower truck to bring riders down, and by 8:20 p.m. five had been removed while three remained on the coaster.
Pleasure Pier Rescue
Galveston police said officials were called when the ride stopped, and firefighters began placing each rider in a safety harness before taking them down a ladder. Terry Turney, the chief operating officer of Pleasure Pier, said the ride experienced a malfunction at its initial ascent and immediately stopped to keep everyone safe.
Terry Turney Statement
Turney said Pleasure Pier contacted the Fire Department to assist and that a thorough inspection would take place before the ride returned to service. The Iron Shark has a 100-foot vertical lift, a beyond-vertical drop, a 1,246-foot track and four full inversions, features that put the stalled ride in the middle of an emergency response rather than a routine stop.
Eight Riders On Iron Shark
Five riders had been safely removed by 8:20 p.m., but three were still on the roller coaster at that time. For riders or family members at Pleasure Pier, the immediate step was the rescue itself: firefighters were still bringing people down one by one, and the ride was not back in service while the inspection was pending.
