Nearly 30 riders were left suspended upside down 50 feet in the air for about 30 minutes on June 14 after an amusement park ride in Portland, Oregon malfunctioned.
The AtmosFEAR ride at Oaks Amusement Park suddenly stopped working at its highest point, leaving the 28 passengers stranded until emergency responders arrived to safely recover them.
One rider with pre-existing conditions was hospitalized as a precaution.
Teen riders described being frightened and in discomfort throughout the incident.
“When you get stuck up there, I don’t think you’re so excited anymore,” Portland teen Daniel Allen said.
“We were just freaking out,” teen Jordan Harding added. “People were crying. They were just putting into the universe what they wanted to say for their last words.”
“That position is just so uncomfortable physically,” she said. “25 minutes. My entire waist below was asleep.”
While the passengers were reported safe, the incident highlights the precarious nature of amusement park ride malfunctions.
The AtmosFEAR ride, which has operated since 2021 without prior incidents, will remain closed pending an investigation into the cause of the stoppage.
