Thrill-seekers left dangling in air after rollercoaster breaks down at Southend

15 October 2023 , 18:52

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Seven people were stuck on the ride this afternoon (Image: YourSouthend)

Thrill seekers were left trapped dangling in the air after a rollercoaster broke down on the Southend seafront this afternoon.

A video shared on social media shows seven people stuck at a height of around 10m (33ft) on The Rage rollercoaster in Adventure Island before being rescued. The ride is the park's biggest rollercoaster, was built in 2007 and cost £3million.

It is not the first time the theme park has made the headlines. The same rollercoaster - which reaches a height of 22m (72ft) also broke down in July, leaving one of the cars stuck dangling vertically from the track. Engineers were seen trying to evacuate the passengers using the emergency escape platform lift.

They were rescued by staff at the theme park (YourSouthend)

Today, the theme park owner said the ride's safety computer caused it to stop, adding there was no fault and nobody was harmed. Marc Miller, managing director of operating company, the Stockvale group, said the "trained team" initiated "rehearsed measures" to rescue the customers.

He said in a statement: "A carriage on Rage was stopped on the lower section of the lift, via the ride's dual process safety PLC (programmable logic controller computer). The group of friends were all in good spirits and [were] down, safe and sound in under 35 minutes and then happy to carry on with their day at Adventure Island. Rage then went through its full testing processes to reopen later in the afternoon."

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In the video, thrill seekers can be heard clapping and cheering when the first customer is rescued through a metal platform by a team member wearing a harness. The theme park is described on TripAdvisor as the UK's best free admission fun park - and the rollercoaster that broke down is described as the "biggest and best" ride on Adventure Island's website.

Its description reads: "Duck, twist and dive your way round our best ‘coaster at heart-stopping speed. Manned by Captain Rageman, it's the biggest and best rollercoaster that Adventure Island has to offer – and with its loops, twists and flat-out speeds. Rage is guaranteed to leave even the most experienced rider short of breath and lost for words! Guests must be a minimum of 120cm to ride."

Following the July incident, a mother who was visiting the park with her six-year-old daughter said: "They had to be harnessed and rescued down. It got stuck, it's the big one there that goes through the loop - it goes up, God knows high, and then straight back down and then loops. It literally just got stuck, right at the top."

The Rage, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter model roller coaster, is known for its unique lift tower, which transports passengers up lying on their backs and sends them off on the roller coaster experience with a drop of more than 90°. It comes after adrenaline junkies at another theme park were left stuck in the air in July when Alton Towers' famous Smiler ride also came to an abrupt stop. Carriages on the ride were seen ground to a halt on a vertical section, before moving slowly downwards.

Chiara Fiorillo