Fire crews had to cut through harnesses to release thrill-seeking families stuck on the Rameses Revenge ride, which spins riders upside down and suspends them over water jets.
Fortunately the ride stopped moving in the upright position. But passengers still had to wait for hours before they could escape from safety harnesses.
“They were on the ride for 90 minutes before the fire and rescue service came out to them,” a mother whose daughter was trapped on the ride told Sky News.
“Firefighters are assisting the trapped people down from the ride, which is around 12 feet above a walkway,” said Justin Coo of London Fire Brigade during the rescue.
“We’re cutting people out of their restraints, walking them down the ride and helping them down a ladder to ground level.”
A spokesperson for the theme park said:
“At 4.06pm the Rameses Revenge at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey experienced a technical problem. This resulted in the automatic fail-safe system bringing the ride to a controlled stop. Experienced resort staff were on site immediately to assist with guest care.
“No guests were injured in the incident. A small number of people were on the ride at the time and the resort’s engineers worked with the emergency services implementing well-rehearsed procedures to ensure their comfort and safe removal from the ride.
“We are very sorry for any discomfort our guests experienced during the delay.”
The ride is due to reopen today, according to The Evening Standard.
Video via Sky News/YouTube
