A falling tree hit one of the rollercoasters at Spain’s PortAventura World amusement park in Salou (Tarragona) on Sunday, injuring 14 people, two of them critically, according to local officials.
According to a statement from PortAventura, a strong gust of wind caused a nearby tree to fall near the roller coaster, with some branches hitting the attraction’s riders.
The accident occurred on the Tomahawk roller coaster, which is usually popular among children and families.
Two children were among the injured, while the two persons who are critically injured are adults, the deputy head of the Medical Emergency Services (SEM) in Tarragona, Juan Antonio Escorcia, told Catalunya Ràdio.
‘This Sunday, an unforeseen incident occurred due to the fall of a tree near the Tomahawk attraction. Some branches fell on passengers on the ride,’ PortAventura’s statement said.
‘After activating our emergency protocols, the affected people were immediately attended to by our first aid teams together with the SEM and subsequently some of the injured were transported to the hospital,’ the statement continued.
‘This is an incident that has nothing to do with the operation and maintenance of our attractions, which adhere to the highest safety standards and undergo rigorous daily inspections,’ it said.
PortAventura World informa: pic.twitter.com/ClSEEBEhA7
— PortAventura World (@Portaventura_ES) February 11, 2024
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