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A HISTORIC rollercoaster was shut down indefinitely after a malfunction forced riders to be rescued in mid-air.
The Cyclone has operated in Coney Island, New York for nearly a century but will now remain closed for some time after it stalled on Friday night, leaving riders stuck in a terrifying situation.
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According to the Luna Park website, the Cyclone was closed “for routine maintenance.”
However, the Department of Buildings was at the park on Friday to issue two violations, one for a crack in a chain that they say caused the malfunction and another for not alerting the DOB about the issue.
“At Luna Park in Coney Island, safety is our number one priority, and ride maintenance, and thorough testing happens daily before Luna Park opens and throughout the day as necessary,” the park said in a statement.
“The Coney Island Cyclone is a 97-year-old roller coaster that is meticulously maintained and tested daily. It is not uncommon to stop a ride and evacuate the ride if an issue arises for the safety of our guests. The Coney Island Cyclone is currently closed due to a mechanical problem that developed yesterday and is currently undergoing repairs
“We will reopen the Cyclone roller coaster when the repair is complete and the ride passes its DOB inspection.”
It comes just one day after dramatic video showed a 12-year-old girl being rescued from the ride.
The girl told CBS News that she was in the third row with a friend, laughing as they made their way up.
However, she grew terrified when the ride stalled, leaving her suspended in mid-air.
On Friday, the ride remained stuck in the same position.
“I little disappointed, I must say. This is my first time to Coney Island and I was really looking forward to it. It’s such a historic ride,” Sanjai Agarwal told the outlet after finding the Cyclone gates closed.
“That was the one thing we came down for, but never mind. We’ll take some photos,” another tourist said.
