Theme parks are built on trust—trust that each click of a seat belt, every lap bar lowered, is part of a system designed to keep guests safe. While incidents are rare, they still occur, prompting renewed scrutiny of how rides are maintained and operated.
In recent years, some accidents have led to tragedy. In 2022, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson died after falling from the Orlando Free Fall ride at Florida’s Icon Park. Investigators later found that ride restraints had been manually adjusted in ways that bypassed built-in safety limits.
Now, another case is drawing attention after a mechanical issue led to multiple injuries for a teenage rider.
Ride Malfunction Reported at Theme Park
The incident occurred earlier this month during a ride on Pendulum 360, a looping attraction located at Jatim Park in Batu, Indonesia.
According to local reports, a 13-year-old boy was riding the attraction when his seat belt reportedly gave way. The ride had just completed a full 360-degree rotation when the passenger began to slip from his seat.
As the ride descended, the teenager clung to a bar before falling approximately 1.5 to 2 meters to the ground. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was found to have two fractures in his right hand and another in his right leg.
Seorang Pelajar 13Th terluka parah setelah terlempar dari wahana Pendulum 360⁰, diduga karena sabuk pengaman tidak berfungsi dengan baik, korban mengalami patah tulang dan dilarikan ke RS (16/4/2025)
📍Jatim Park I, Batu pic.twitter.com/QHf2F925ug— Miss Tweet | (@Heraloebss) April 17, 2025
Police have paused operation of the ride while an investigation is carried out. AKP Rudi Kuswoyo, head of the Batu Police Criminal Investigation Unit, confirmed that park staff had performed routine safety checks that morning. “Before being operated, the officer had also checked the seat belts, which were declared to be working properly,” Kuswoyo said.
As of April 18, the investigation remains ongoing.
Safety Incidents Highlight Industry-Wide Challenges
The incident comes amid a broader series of ride-related events reported in 2025. Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently released its quarterly report on injuries at the state’s major theme parks. Between January and March, several incidents were documented at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld.
At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, three riders required hospitalization after riding Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Reported issues included a seizure and two cases of chest pain involving guests with pre-existing conditions.
Elsewhere, a 49-year-old woman fainted after riding Manta at SeaWorld Orlando. At Walt Disney World, a number of older guests reported falls while exiting attractions such as Frozen Ever After and Mad Tea Party. Other incidents included a seizure-like episode following Alien Swirling Saucers and a 14-year-old with abdominal pain after Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
As investigations proceed, safety remains a central focus across the global theme park industry. For the teen injured in Indonesia, recovery is underway—and authorities continue working to determine how the malfunction occurred.
Have you ever experienced a scary incident at a theme park?
