Two Dozen Riders Rescued After Six Flags Roller Coaster Derails

A tree branch derailed a roller coaster at the Six Flags Magic Mountain in California injuring 4 and leaving two dozen stranded, Monday.

The riders were stuck 20-to-30 feet in the air for hours while emergency personnel and park authorities worked to safely bring the cars to the ground. The incident happened on Ninja ride and by late night all 22 passengers were rescued.

"We were going across one turn and all of a sudden a loud noise happened," said Jeremy Ead, one of the injured riders, to the local KCAL-TV. "I ducked down just in time. A hard branch hit me in the head. I was there bleeding from my head."

Two of the four who were hurt were taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials reported the injuries were minor.

Following the incident, park officials closed down the ride pending an investigation.

According to Six Flags website, the Ninja ride is a 'stealth assassin'. "The black belt of roller coasters whips you into submission," the site states. Passengers ride the swinging coaster suspended from the track rather than riding on top of the track.

The derailment is the latest in a series of similar incidents. CNN reports that last July, Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington closed down its Texas Giant roller coaster after a woman fell from her seat during the ride resulting in her death.

More than 92,000 children were injured between 1990 and 2010 in accidents related to amusement rides, according to a study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio. This translates into an average of more than 4,000 injuries per year.

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