Eight people were safely rescued Thursday after a Galveston roller coaster stuck high above Pleasure Pier left riders suspended for more than three hours. Firefighters used a tower truck to lower each passenger one by one after the Iron Shark roller coaster stopped on its initial ascent around 5:35 p.m., police said.
The rescue unfolded over more than three-and-a-half hours, with crews placing each rider in a safety harness before bringing them down. Some passengers were stuck well over three hours before the last person reached the ground.
The people on the coaster were students, staff and chaperones on a field trip organized by Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy High School, the Houston Independent School District said. The district said it was in direct contact with families and thanked first responders and park personnel for the rescue.
Terry Turney said the ride malfunctioned during its initial ascent and then stopped as designed to keep everyone safe. He said Pleasure Pier contacted the Fire Department to help remove the guests and that a thorough inspection would be done before the ride returned to service.
The Iron Shark is one of Pleasure Pier’s marquee attractions, with a 100-foot vertical lift, a beyond-vertical drop, a track speed of 52 miles per hour and a 1,246-foot track. It also features a diving loop and four full inversions, making the shutdown especially visible to visitors on the pier.
For the riders, the day ended with a slow descent instead of the sudden drop the coaster is built to deliver. The immediate problem was solved: all eight passengers were brought down safely, and the ride will not reopen until the inspection is complete.
