Emergency services were deployed for over three hours to rescue 27 passengers who found themselves stranded on a roller coaster at Pleasurewood Hills amusement park in Lowestoft, England. The incident occurred on Monday, 31 August, when the Wipeout ride malfunctioned, leaving those onboard suspended approximately 50 feet in the air.
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The Suffolk County Council indicated that alerts regarding the stalled ride were received around 1:26 p.m. local time. The roller coaster cars became immobilised while positioned on an elevation of about 15 metres, but fortunately, they were not inverted. Video footage captured during the event depicted the ride momentarily still, with a park staff member attempting to address the situation nearby.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that the coaster attempted to move again, slowly rolling back and forth before coming to a complete halt. Richard Lines, a visitor to the park, recounted how he noticed other rides halted due to a power outage and watched as the fire service utilised an aerial ladder to rescue individuals trapped in the ride. “You feel sorry for the ones that were either at the front or the back who were up there for a good three hours — which is a long time,” he remarked.
Emergency responders, including members of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, guided the rescued passengers to safety using both an aerial ladder and a scissor lift. The rescue operation concluded successfully around 4:05 p.m., with officials reassuring the public that no injuries were reported during the ordeal.
In an official statement on social media, Pleasurewood Hills confirmed that the roller coaster became stranded in the Cobra Roll section of the ride. The park clarified that, despite having emergency plans in place for such situations, this incident had not occurred previously. They praised the swift response of emergency services, assuring that all guests were safely removed from the ride.
As a token of goodwill, Pleasurewood Hills announced that all attendees during the incident would receive complimentary tickets to return to the park, valid until the summer of 2027.
The Wipeout roller coaster, which first opened at the park in 2007, has earned a reputation as “the tallest, fastest, and most extreme ride in East Anglia.” Earlier this year, the attraction faced a “temporary stoppage” while hosting a group of schoolchildren. On that occasion, park maintenance teams resolved the situation and safely returned guests to the station within a span of 22 minutes.
Plans are in place for further enhancements to the Wipeout ride, which recently underwent a £1 million upgrade. These improvements, set to be completed by the winter season of 2024-2025, will include a new train featuring lap bar waist restraints to enhance passenger safety and comfort.
The unexpected ride stoppage at Pleasurewood Hills has raised discussions around safety protocols at amusement parks, with many now calling for stringent checks to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Park officials are likely to face scrutiny as they work to maintain their reputation while providing thrilling yet safe experiences for their guests.
As events like this highlight the crucial role of emergency services, the swift action taken to ensure the safety of riders proves the vital importance of preparedness in managing unexpected situations in recreational settings.