Alton Towers Shuts Down Two Roller Coasters, Evacuates Children From Third, Just Days After Horror Crash

Alton Towers is still doing damage control after 16 people were injured, 4 seriously, with one losing her leg in last week’s horror crash on the “Smiler” roller coaster. However, things haven’t calmed down for the theme park, which was forced to shut down two more main-attraction roller coasters after a large metal clip was found by a guest on the ground near the ride, “Air.” Meanwhile, the Runaway Mine Train was closed for “technical difficulties,” leaving guests wondering what is going on with the park’s safety. It isn’t just the large roller coasters that troubled theme park is having difficulty maintaining, the park was also forced to evacuate a number of small children from the Octonauts mini-coaster after a malfunction left terrified children stranded as engineers in harnesses and helmets removed the children from the ride.

The Guardian reports that 16 people were injured in a horrific rollercoaster crash in the Alton Towers park. Guests on the “Smiler” roller coaster were injured, four seriously, when they crashed into an empty carriage on the tracks. Leah Washington, 17, had her left leg amputated above the knee as a result of the crash, and her boyfriend, 18-year-old Joe Pugh, sustained extensive hand injuries and two broken knees. Washington’s brother says she was kept alive by a life support machine when she first arrived to the hospital, but is now expected to recover despite the needed amputation.

However, it doesn’t seem that problems are over for the troubled park. According to the Daily Mail, a visitor in line to ride the “Air” roller coaster was shocked when he found a large metal clip laying on the ground near the ride just a week after the horror crash involving the “Smiler.” The 28-year-old Ashley Sandle said he took the piece to the ride operator and moments later, an announcement was made that the ride was closing.

“I picked it up and it was a big clunky metal clip. I didn’t know what it could be but thought it must be important. I found a member of staff and handed it to him and explained where I had found it. His face went white and ran off to his supervisor. A few minutes later an announcement came out over the tannoy saying Air was shut because of technical difficulties. It re-opened about half-an-hour later but then shut again.”

In addition to issues with the Air, the park also was late to open the Runaway Mine Train after “technical difficulties.” However, problems for the Alton Towers theme park doesn’t just involve the larger roller coasters. Reports of children and parents being evacuated from the Octonauts miniature roller coaster were posted, along with outrage that the portion of the park where frightened children were being evacuated was not closed. Park-goers say the ride was closed after a malfunction stalled it on the tracks. Some children were visibly distressed as engineers in harness and helmets evacuated them from the ride.

“There was a lady next to me whose son was really distressed and she was shouting up to him to stay calm and that everything would be all right. I found a member of staff and handed it to him and explained where I had found it. His face went white and ran off to his supervisor. A few minutes later an announcement came out over the tannoy saying Air was shut because of technical difficulties. It re-opened about half-an-hour later but then shut again.”

Other guests say they left the park with their children after witnesses the mayhem on the Octonauts ride. Some have questioned why the area around the ride was not closed as children were evacuated.

“My wife and I just decided to leave the park at that point with our children. They did absolutely nothing to stop the children and parents going into that part of the park to witness what was going on. On the way out, we went into the guest services bit of the park, where I asked if it was possible to speak to somebody about the incident. I was told they could do a customer feedback questionnaire. I said: ‘Are you being serious?’ “

Despite upset from some park visitors, a spokesperson for Alton Parks claims that all delays are within the normal “expected level” and there is no cause for concern.

“It is natural that given the current circumstances, our guests (and the media) are more focused on any minor delay or technical stoppage, but all of the rides undergo comprehensive pre-opening checks and any delays that we are experiencing now are within our expected level. All issues will be dealt with according to our stringent processes and rides will reopen as appropriate.”

What do you think of Alton Tower’s response to the string of technical issues?

[Image Credit: Getty Images / Christopher Furlong]