Japanese rollercoaster shut as injuries investigated

japan closes

A rollercoaster in Japan, said to be the world’s fastest-accelerating, has closed indefinitely following reports that multiple riders suffered serious injuries. The Fuji-Q Highland amusement park said four customers had broken bones on the “Do-Dodonpa” attraction between December 2020 and August 2021. Others have reported sustaining neck, chest and bone fractures. In a statement the park said the ride had closed “due to a safety overhaul”. However, it added that “the causal relationship between injuries and amusement machines has not yet been confirmed”. According to the regional government, the four incidents were among men and women in the 30-50 age range. All had “significant injuries”, including a cervical fracture and a thoracic spine fracture. A thoracic spine fracture can require up to three months in the hospital. Despite the injuries occurring over an eight-month period between December and August, they were only reported to officials last week.(BBC)…[+]