TORONTO – A teenager from Iceland has died after being thrown from a roller coaster at a theme park in Spain.
The unnamed 18-year-old suffered multiple fractures and head wounds after he was reportedly flung from his seat when his harness failed during the ‘Inferno’ ride Monday afternoon.
READ MORE: Teen dies on ‘Inferno’ roller coaster in Spain
Last year, a 79-year-old woman was killed after she was ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.
READ MORE: Woman dies after fall from Texas roller coaster
Roller coaster fatalities are extremely rare.
According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the odds of dying on a roller coaster are 1 in 300 million.
Here’s a look at some of the deadliest roller coaster accidents:
Location: Battersea Park Fun Fair, England
Ride: Big Dipper
Date: May 30, 1972
What happened: As the rope that hauled the wooden Big Dipper roller coaster snapped at the top of the hill in 1972, the anti-rollback brake failed, causing the chain of cars to barrel back. Five children were killed and 14 others were seriously injured.
Location: Galaxyland Amusement Park (West Edmonton Mall), Edmonton, Alberta
Ride: Mindbender
Date: June 14, 1986
What happened: The world’s largest triple-loop indoor roller coaster crashed when four bolts came loose, allowing a wheel assembly to fall off the roller coaster. Dozens suffered minor injuries, one person had his legs crushed in the accident and three people lost their lives.
Location: Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, New Jersey
Ride: Wild Wonder
Date: August 28, 1999
What happened: The roller coaster lost traction near its peak and plunged 30 feet backward into a sharp curve. A woman and her 8-year-old daughter were killed and two others were seriously injured.
Location: Six Flags theme park, Georgia, United States
Ride: Batman
Date: June 29, 2008
What happened: A teenager was decapitated by a roller coaster after he hopped a pair of fences and entered a restricted area. Police said the ride was going full-speed when the teen was struck. The ride’s top speed is 80 km/h.
Location: Overseas China Town East theme park, Southern China
Ride: Space Journey
Date: June 29, 2010
What happened: Space Journey is designed to provide riders with the feeling of being launched in a real-life rocket. About 40 people were on the simulator ride when one of the 12 cabins became loose while spinning and collided with other cabins. Several cabins fell 50 feet to the ground, ejecting passengers from the ride. Dozens were injured and six people were killed.
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