Twelve roller coasters have been taken out of service at amusement parks in the United States and Canada following the death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, who fell from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday. SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal confirmed Thursday that they had temporarily closed additional rides while the investigation continues.

Police and state regulators are investigating how Kariem, a 42-year-old school employee from Atlanta, was ejected from his seat and fell to his death. Witnesses said he was thrown from the coaster, while some riders who had used the attraction earlier raised concerns about its restraints.

Ten of the closed roller coasters were built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and feature restraint systems similar to the one used on the Georgia ride. The company also manufactured the Goliath coaster at La Ronde, which the Montreal park said would remain closed during a thorough safety review conducted in collaboration with the manufacturer.

Erica Billups said her son and daughter rode Goliath about an hour before Kariem’s death and encountered a problem with one seat’s restraint. Her son initially sat in that seat but moved after repeatedly being unable to keep the restraint locked. According to Billups, the coaster then departed with the seat empty and its harness raised. She confirmed her account in a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday and said park employees did not inform her children that there was a problem with the seat.

Summer Bates, who was visiting Six Flags Over Georgia with her husband and three children, witnessed Kariem’s fall. She previously told the AP that her two older children repeatedly tried to push their restraints down more tightly while riding. After experiencing the coaster herself, Bates said she understood their concerns because the restraints did not feel secure.

Six Flags did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the reported restraint issues. Bolliger & Mabillard also declined to answer questions about the closures, saying it would have no further comment until it had a better understanding of what happened Monday.

Images and videos posted online show that 10 of the closed coasters use so-called clamshell restraints. These padded devices are mounted on vertical bars in front of each seat and lock over a rider’s lap and upper legs. It remains unclear whether all the affected rides have seat belts or other secondary restraints. The Goliath coaster in Georgia does not have backup restraints of that kind.

Dennis Speigel, a theme park consultant and former president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, said the similarity of the restraint systems is almost certainly why most of the rides were taken out of service. He expects them to remain closed until investigators determine what went wrong, adding that the problem appeared to involve the restraint system. Brian D. Avery, a University of Florida professor and amusement ride safety expert, said manufacturers choose restraints based on factors including a coaster’s speed, forces and track transitions. Avery supports adding backup restraints for riders, although he noted that the industry has long debated whether additional safety measures would increase wait times.

Goliath is one of Six Flags Over Georgia’s signature attractions. The coaster opened in 2006, rises approximately 200 feet and reaches speeds of up to 70 mph. Although it does not turn riders upside down, it features a series of hills and turns. Witness Nick Mendenhall, who had recently ridden the coaster with his son, said he was watching the cars pass overhead when he saw Kariem appear to hover as the car moved beneath him. Mendenhall said Kariem fell headfirst back into the coaster before being ejected during its final turn and striking other patrons before landing below the ride.

The accident has also renewed attention to questions about maintenance and safety at Six Flags. A class-action lawsuit filed by investors in 2025 alleged that the company neglected maintenance and infrastructure repairs at its parks before merging with major amusement park operator Cedar Fair. The complaint claimed that the former Six Flags organization had deferred basic maintenance, operational improvements and ride updates for years while cutting staffing to reduce costs. Those allegations have not been established as findings in the investigation into Kariem’s death.

Timothy Loranger, a California attorney who represented the family of a man who died after riding the X2 coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2022, said closing similar rides as a precaution was a positive step. Six Flags permanently closed X2 last month.

Six Flags Over Georgia, located in Mableton about 15 miles northwest of Atlanta, is scheduled to reopen Friday. The park has approximately a dozen roller coasters, but Goliath is not expected to operate when the park reopens. The other temporary closures are expected to remain tied to ongoing safety reviews and the investigation into the fatal accident.