THIS is the terrifying moment 15 children dangle 50ft above the ground after a theme park ride tips nearly vertical and freezes in mid-air.
Dramatic footage shows firefighters scrambling to rescue the trapped riders deep into the night at Long Island’s Adventureland.
CCTV footage shows the riders trapped in the ride above the treetops Credit: ABC
The legs of the children can be spotted dangling from the 50ft high ride Credit: ABC
All 16 passengers – the youngest of which was five years old – had been hanging suspended for several hours.
The “wave twister” ride spins riders around in dizzying circles – but the thrill-seekers got more than they bargained for after the ride unexpectedly malfunctioned on Friday night.
The panic unfolded at around 7:30pm on Friday when the ride unexpectedly stopped mid-air.
The riders – one adult and 15 children – were suddenly trapped 50ft high.
The ride in Long Island’s Adventureland suddenly malfunction Credit: ABC
Over a dozen children hung suspended over 50ft over the ground Credit: ABC
The East Farmingdale Fire Department scrambled to the scene – bringing fire engines with ladders to reach the mid-air hostages.
Police and firefighters swiftly evacuated the rest of the public from the fairground as sirens wailed through the air.
The nail-biting rescue continued into the night as the children had to be pulled off one by one.
The last person was finally on solid ground late on Friday night, police confirmed.
The rescue operation continued deep into the night Credit: ABC
Massive ladders reached up to save the children from the suspended ride Credit: ABC
Jessica Formoso, a reporter for FOX5, was in the park when sirens started wailing to signal that something was wrong.
“We were stunned,” she said.
“I was like, are people actually stuck?”
The ride was manufactured by Ride Engineers of Switzerland.
But one young man met a far more terrifying fate at a fairground in Turkey.
Ride operator Burak Kirikci, 20, struck from behind and crushed by a giant swing.
Shocking footage shows the swing ploughing into the man and swatting him off his feet before .
Burak had sprinted out of the operator’s cabin in Hakimiyet Park while the so-called kamikaze ride was still running.
He bent down in front of the swing – reportedly to pick up something a passenger had dropped.
But that is the moment tragedy struck as the massive swing rebounded back in his direction, as seen in CCTV footage released last week.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
