Ohio amusement park Cedar Point's Magnum XL-200, once the world's fastest and steepest roller coaster, stalled mid-air on Saturday, leaving riders dangling for several minutes.
As the ride froze mid-journey, the guests reportedly had to walk down the 200-plus-foot roller coaster by stairs.
Ohio's Guinness World Record Roller Coaster Stall Freezes Mid Air
According to Fox News Online, Cedar Point guests in Sandusky, Ohio, evacuated the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster after the thrilling ride grappled with a mechanical problem.
The ride, which some folks call the Magnum, is roughly 205 feet high, blazing at 72 miles per hour (MPH) or around 118 kilometers per hour (KPH). The roller coaster debuted way back in 1989. The Cedar Point website disclosed that it used to be a Guinness Book of World Records holder for its "leading edge height." A single ride on the 200-plus-foot coaster lasts about two minutes and 45 seconds.
But before that time, the Magnum suddenly stalled mid-air, leaving passengers stuck mid-journey. The Cedar Point communications director Tony Clark told Fox News it was due to a "standard ride stoppage."
Clark further notes that the ride flashed a "check engine light," preventing the operators from restarting the rollercoaster. And as such, the thrill-seekers got stuck mid-air and had to evacuate the ride by walking down by stairs.
Ohio Amusement Park to Debut 'Fastest' and 'Tallest' Roller Coaster
Before the incident, the Ohio amusement park, Cedar Point, known as the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World," introduced its next-generation roller coaster, the Top Trill 2.
According to CBS News, the Sandusky amusement park is set to open its new roller coaster in 2024, billed as the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster.
Cedar Point Vice President and General Manager Carrie Boldman teased that the "Top Thrill 2 will be the boldest and most advanced roller coaster Cedar Point has ever introduced."
Top Thrill 2 will replace the original Top Thrill Dragster, built in 2003 and held the Guinness World Record for the fastest roller coaster until 2013. The upcoming thrilling ride seeks to build on the Top Thrill Dragster's legacy.
The Ohio park closed its Top Thrill Dragster last 2021 after an unfortunate incident wherein a small metal object struck a woman's head.
NBC Chicago says the next-generation strata coaster features two 420-foot-tall track towers. The Top Thrill 2 sports a maximum speed of 120 MPH.
The new ride is opening its doors to the public next year. In the meantime, thrill seekers may check out other roller coasters in Cedar Point, totaling 18.
