What started as a thrill ride turned into a terrifying freefall with 23 injured and screams caught on camera.
A family outing turned into a nightmare at the Green Mountain Resort in Taif, Saudi Arabia, after a popular amusement park ride called ‘360 Degrees’ violently broke apart in mid-air, while packed with riders.
Footage from the scene shows the massive swinging ride reaching its peak before suddenly crashing into its own support pillar, snapping into two pieces as it slammed to the ground. The force of the impact was so severe that three passengers were critically injured, with at least 20 more hurt in the aftermath.
From Screams of Joy to Screams of Fear
Witnesses say it all happened in seconds.
The ride, known for looping high into the air, had just reached its full arc when a loud cracking sound echoed through the park. Cheers turned to screams as the ride struck its own pillar, causing the main structure to fracture in half before plummeting toward the ground.
“The pole recoiled at high speed,” one onlooker said. “Then it smashed down. People were screaming in terror.”
An object, possibly part of the ride, was seen being flung from the impact zone as stunned guests watched in horror. Miraculously, most riders remained strapped in by their harnesses, though critical injuries were confirmed and the victims were rushed to local hospitals.
Panic, Chaos, and a Code Yellow Emergency
Emergency responders were quickly dispatched as Taif hospitals issued a Code Yellow, a designation used in mass casualty situations.
First aid was administered at the scene before injured passengers were transported to medical facilities. Local authorities have since launched an urgent investigation into the ride’s failure, and operations at the theme park are believed to be temporarily suspended.
Not the First Scare for This Ride Design
This shocking incident comes just months after a similar ride malfunctioned in Indonesia, where a 13-year-old boy was launched from his seat on the Pendulum 360 attraction at Jatim Park.
That accident was also caught on video. The boy could be seen dangling mid-air, clinging to a bar before falling nearly two meters. He suffered multiple fractures and was hospitalized as Indonesian authorities ordered the ride shut down for safety review.
A Growing Global Concern
The back-to-back failures of these high-swinging thrill rides, both marketed under the “360” branding, are raising serious questions about safety oversight at amusement parks worldwide.
In Saudi Arabia, where public entertainment has rapidly expanded in recent years, this incident is likely to spark calls for stricter ride inspections and international safety standards.
As investigators continue to comb through the wreckage in Taif, families are left shaken, and a nation is watching — asking how a ride meant to bring joy turned into a scene of chaos.
