A rare accident occurred Wednesday at Kings Island, an amusement park located in Mason, Ohio. Around 8 p.m., a man was hit by the “Banshee”, presented as the longest inverted steel roller coaster in the world (editor’s note: an attraction on which visitors have their feet in the air). According to the park’s website, the attraction peaks at 50 meters and can reach speeds of 110 km/h halfway. This is precisely where the shock occurred.
The 38-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, was airlifted to University Hospital in Cincinnati in critical condition. According to park management, the individual crossed a barrier and entered an area prohibited to the public before being struck. According to an employee interviewed by WLWT, the thirty-year-old wanted to recover his keys, which had fallen during his ride on the roller coaster. “He was very agitated and shouted that he needed it right away,” says the young man.
The visitor apparently took advantage of a moment of inattention on the part of the staff to climb the barrier. According to another employee, people on the ride initially thought they had collided with a deer. They were “very shocked. They all knew something had happened. Everyone heard this huge noise,” he confides. The attraction will remain closed during an internal investigation. No information was provided regarding the victim’s state of health.
