Emergency Brain Surgeries Following Roller Coaster Ride
Two women were rushed last July for emergency brain surgeries in Southern California after being severely injured following a ride on the extreme X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain park. According to a CNN investigation, the two suffered from severe brain hemorrhages, injuries reminiscent of severe trauma resulting from accidents or violent events.
Two women were rushed last July for emergency brain surgeries in Southern California after being severely injured following a ride on the extreme X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain park. According to a CNN investigation, the two suffered from severe brain hemorrhages, injuries reminiscent of severe trauma resulting from accidents or violent events.
The X2 roller coaster is considered one of the most extreme attractions in the park: its seats rotate 360 degrees, it includes sharp drops and unpredictable movements, and it reaches a speed of about 128 km/h. However, according to the investigation, for nearly two decades the attraction has been linked to more than a dozen reports of severe injuries and hospitalizations, including head and neck injuries, brain damage, coma, and two deaths.
Following the latest injury, the attraction was closed on the evening of July 12, almost a day after the incident. According to the report, park officials did not disclose the reason for the closure to the public, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health did not respond to CNN's questions about the history of injuries and past reopening approvals.
One of the injured is 40-year-old Pamela Gilen from Hawaii, who lost consciousness after her head hit the headrest several times. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a severe brain hemorrhage and dangerous pressure on the brain, and she underwent emergency surgery during which part of her skull was removed. After waking up, she had to relearn how to speak and walk.
The investigation also mentioned the death of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, who collapsed in 2022 shortly after getting off the X2 and died less than ten hours later. According to internal documents cited by CNN, in the three years leading up to his death, the park handled at least 70 complaints from riders about head and neck injuries after riding the attraction.
Six Flags has over the years rejected the claims against the roller coaster, arguing that warning signs are posted at the site, that the attraction is routinely inspected, and that it meets safety standards. On the other hand, doctors and safety experts cited in the investigation argued that the sequence of cases requires a more in-depth examination and warned that repeated brain injuries linked to the same attraction are a clear safety signal.
