Six Flags to add seat belts to Goliath coaster after Georgia rider's fatal fall

Six Flags said Friday it will add seat belts to the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, outside Atlanta, after Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was ejected and fell to his death on Oct. 12. The company said the belts are part of broader safety measures and will also go on coasters with a similar restraint, though the exact list is unclear. Goliath has a lap bar made by Bolliger & Mabillard and drops riders 165 feet, then 180 feet. Kariem, described as a father and educator, struck other cars on the ride as he fell. Georgia authorities have opened an investigation. Goliath remains closed, along with several rides at other parks. CEO John Reilly said trust is earned through actions, not words, and promised updates and accountability. Six Flags said it has engaged independent engineers and inspection specialists to review safety, and that more than 220 of its coasters remain open. The company is also being sued over alleged injuries from its X2 ride at Magic Mountain.

The right-leaning Washington Times, in the text available, frames the story around Six Flags Entertainment Corp. adding belts to "certain rides," including the Georgia coaster that threw a man to his death. The available text names no victim, quotes no executive and mentions no investigation. The left-leaning Guardian US and NBC News give far more detail. The Guardian leads with the reopening "with seatbelts," then covers Kariem's background, the ride's drops, the collision, the state probe, Reilly's quotes and the lawsuit. NBC leads with the press release and lists the closed rides at other parks. It also notes that Six Flags did not say which rides remain closed. Both sides agree on the seat belts, Goliath and a death earlier this month. They differ in scope and detail: the right-side text stresses a limited rollout, while the left adds human, mechanical and legal context. TMZ separately stresses that the ride will reopen once retrofitted.