04/06/2015

Alton Towers To Remain Closed

Alton Towers is to remain closed until an investigation into the cause of a rollercoaster crash that left 16 people injured is completed, it is understood.

At around 2pm on Tuesday 2 June, two carriages crashed on a low section of track on the theme park's The Smiler rollercoaster. A total of 16 passengers were on the ride at the time, some of which were trapped for up to four-and-a-half hours.

Two men, aged 18 and 27, a girl, aged 17, and another 19-year-old woman suffered serious injuries in the incident. After being freed from the carriage, they were airlifted to major trauma centres.

The remaining passengers – six women and six men – suffered less serious injuries. It is understood all 16 passengers were in one carriage, which collided with a stationary unoccupied carriage. On Tuesday, visitors at the theme park took to social media to say that the ride had broken down earlier in the day.

Alton Towers remained closed on Wednesday as investigations into the crash continued, and in an updated message on its website, it said the park would remain closed today, 4 June.

Nick Varney, chief executive of the park's owners Merlin Entertainments, is also quoted as saying: "A full investigation is now under way and we will continue to work closely with the emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive to better understand the cause of this terrible accident."

(JP)

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