A night of fun at a Long Island amusement park turned terrifying when 15 riders, most of them children, were trapped on a roller coaster for more than three hours after the ride malfunctioned.
The incident happened Friday night at Adventureland in Farmingdale, New York, on the park’s new Wave Twister attraction.
The riders, including children as young as 5, were left suspended about 25 feet in the air after the ride suddenly got stuck.
According to the East Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department, rescue crews were called just before 7:30 p.m. after reports of a ride malfunction. The last passenger was safely rescued at 10:39 p.m.
“Due to the complexity of the incident, each rider had to be individually secured and carefully brought to the ground using specialized rescue equipment and aerial apparatus,” the fire department said.
A sixth grader who was trapped on the ride told CBS News that some of the children began crying while they waited to be rescued.
“I calmed down a couple kids,” the student said. “I was telling them it was okay, they can hold my hand and stuff like that.”
The student said some children continued to cry, but most calmed down over time.
The Wave Twister opened to the public in March and was promoted by the park as its newest attraction. The ride features two sections where riders sit in circular cars that twist down the tracks opposite each other.
Photos from the rescue showed emergency responders using cranes and specialized equipment to reach the stranded riders. Each passenger was secured with safety gear before being brought down.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including East Farmingdale firefighters, Suffolk County Police, Adventureland staff, and mutual aid groups.
Suffolk County Police told CBS News that one of the rescued riders was a 5-year-old child who had been riding with a 40-year-old parent. The rest of the riders were between 8 and 12 years old.
Thankfully, all 15 riders were brought back to the ground safely, and no injuries were reported.
“Great work by all agencies involved in bringing this challenging operation to a safe and successful conclusion,” the fire department said.
Adventureland said in a statement that the park has a “proud record of safety” over its 60 years in business and that it understands the concerns of the riders and their families.
“We understand the concern of the riders and their families who were involved today, and we will be working with our ride consultants to fully assess what happened,” a spokesperson said.
The park said the Wave Twister will remain closed until further review.
“Until further review that ride will not be in service,” the statement continued. “We appreciate the dedication of the many first responder departments who skillfully assisted in getting our guests off the ride.”
As of Saturday morning, Adventureland said there were no further updates and no press conference planned.