Six people were injured after a safety harness on the wave swinger style ride broke. Four of the guests involved were transported to a hospital, including one who sustained a fracture. Source
Accidents
Theme parks and roller coasters are statistically very, very, very safe. Out of the millions of people who ride the thousands of rides every year, there are only a small handful of incidents. You are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident driving to an amusement park than having one at a park. The rarity of accidents is one reason why the media report them, similar to plane crashes.
Every important element of a ride is inspected on a regular basis and every ride is tested every day without passengers before it opens. A ride might not open, or a safety system might activate, if there is an imperfection. For theme parks to operate, they must obtain insurance and one stipulation is their rides are frequently inspected and signed off by a strict Health & Safety governing body. Every theme park does what they can to prevent accidents because the negative press would be bad for business.
Having said all that, theme park accidents still happen…
Wave Swinger, Park Topolya, Orenburg, Russia
Twenty people sustained injuries after the flying carousel collapsed at the amusement park. Source (in Spanish)
Crazy Fabrik, Foire du Trone, Paris, France
A 4-year-old boy sustained severe injuries after catching his hand in the treadmill of the carnival’s fun house. The boy suffered nerve and artery damage and could lose a finger, according to his family. Source (in French)
Fantasmic, Disneyland, Anaheim, California
Spectators at the popular show got a shock when the feature’s fire-breathing animatronic dragon burst into flames. No injuries were reported. Source
Toos-Express, Toverland, Sevenum, Netherlands
A 38-year-old woman sustained injuries after falling from the Vekoma Junior Coaster platform, dropping 8 feet (2.5 m). Paramedics transported the woman to a local hospital, where doctors determined she’d broken her lower vertebrae. Source (in Dutch)
Freizeitbad Oktopus, Siegburg, Germany
Firefighters cleared 100 people from a swimming pool after the water park experienced a deflagration in the chlorine gas system. Routine cleaning of the park’s chlorine gas systems in the basement triggered the incident. A doctor at the scene treated two people who reported respiratory irritation due to the chemicals. Source (in German)
Ferris Wheel, Bojaca Park, Cundinamarca, Colombia
At least two people were transported to a hospital after the Ferris wheel detached from the ground as it cycled. Two of the cabins also separated from the ride. Source (in Spanish)
Parque Acuatico Comanjilla, Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico
A one-year-old baby died and 10 other people were injured when a tree broke apart and fell 23 feet (7m) on guests. Officials blamed heavy wind gusts for the tree’s collapse. Source (in Spanish)
Mega Mindy Jetski, Plopsaland De Panne, Belgium
Carousel, Send Kirmes, Munster, Germany
Although not an accident, a 31-year-old man died after he got into a physical altercation with an unknown group on the funfair’s carousel and was stabbed in the heart. Source (in German)