Pirate Ship Amusement Park Ride Malfunctions, Sending Passengers on a Sickening 10-Minute Voyage

By    |   Thursday, 02 August 2018 12:25 PM EDT ET

(YouTube/@CBS Pittsburgh)

A pirate ship amusement park ride that would not stop left several people terrified at Kennywood Park in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

The Pittsburgh park's popular pirate ship, which swings back and forth like a pendulum, malfunctioned, causing the breaks to fail and giving passengers an extended ride that lasted for about 10 minutes, CBS Pittsburgh reported.

Crews eventually managed to bring the 35-year-old ride to a stop using a secondary brake system and, while no injuries were reported, passengers were shaken by the experience.

"I was terrified. My kids are crying. There was people behind us panicking. There was a guy in front of us, he was ready to get sick," one unidentified rider told the local CBS station.

Evan Paulick, who was on the ride at the time it malfunctioned, told the news outlet that the pirate ship just kept going.

"I just got really scared, and I was feeling really sick, and I was crying. I was just terrified," he said.

Another unidentified passenger said the ride usually lasted about three minutes but, in this instance, it extended past 10 minutes.

"When the ride stopped, there was a team of mechanics out there, escorting us off the ride. Also, EMTs were there, helping anybody that was sick," he said.

The North Hills Patch site noted that the ride, which swings to a height of 60 feet at a 75-degree angle, was back in operation later in the day Wednesday.

CBS Pittsburgh reported that the incident occurred a day after the park's new Thomas Town train derailed.

Kennywood has experienced some setbacks but fortunately no serious injuries have been reported.

Separate incidents that have taken place over the years have not been as forgiving.

In June, six people were rushed to hospital when a roller coaster in Florida derailed, leaving some riders dangling 34 feet above the ground.

In 2016, a Ferris wheel fall in Tennessee sent three children plummeting 30 to 45 feet to the ground when a seat flipped over, leaving a 6-year-old girl with a traumatic brain injury.

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A pirate ship amusement park ride that would not stop left several people terrified at Kennywood Park in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
pirate ship, amusement park, ride, stop
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2018-25-02
Thursday, 02 August 2018 12:25 PM
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