For a few long minutes at Six Flags Over Georgia earlier this month, the park’s towering SkyScreamer swing ride turned from thrill machine into an accidental skybox, leaving visitors dangling hundreds of feet above the ground while it sat perfectly still.
Video shot by a rider shows the high-flying swings stopped near the top of the tower, chairs hanging motionless over the park as technicians worked below to bring everyone back down. Eventually, the ride was lowered and all passengers exited without injury.
The clip, posted on Instagram by user @srtdavidd, was later shared by Atlanta News First, which published the footage of riders suspended in open-air swing chairs, many gripping the safety bars while the gondola sat paused near the top of its rotation.
David Early, who recorded the video and posted it under the handle @srtdavidd, told Storyful the moment was frightening and that a friend began to cry, as reported by Yahoo/Storyful. In the footage, Early can be heard saying, “This is my last day at Six Flags.” He later told Storyful he felt relieved once everyone was safely lowered.
The ride in question is SkyScreamer, which Six Flags says lifts guests to roughly 227 feet above the ground. In a follow-up statement, the park said the stop was caused by a temporary technical issue, that its safety systems functioned as designed, and that guests were unloaded safely after an inspection, according to Correio.
Other Recent Stoppages at Six Flags Parks
The Atlanta pause is the latest in a string of high-profile ride interruptions at Six Flags properties this season. Fire crews had to rescue four people after a SkyScreamer stalled about 120 feet in the air at Six Flags St. Louis in mid-June, according to KMOV/1011Now.
And in April, a swing ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas was briefly halted after an operator spotted a guest using a cellphone, FOX 5 reported.
What to Know
Modern rides are designed with multiple backup safety systems and procedures meant to keep guests secure during short stoppages, and emergency crews typically step in only when park protocols cannot safely bring riders back down. In this case, the Over Georgia incident made for tense video, but everyone returned to solid ground without injury, according to Atlanta News First.
Six Flags has reported no injuries from the SkyScreamer pause and says the attraction was inspected before returning to service. For the latest on ride availability and safety policies, visitors can check Six Flags Over Georgia's website or contact guest services before heading to the park.
