An Arizona mother and daughter were having a fantastic day at SeaWorld San Diego when their adventure took a terrible turn.
The decision to ride the Electric Eel roller coaster on July 9 was an ill-fated moment, according to Salina Higgins.
Her daughter’s shoulder strap was hanging loosely in front of her when the ride reached the first “upside down part.”
She said she happened to open her eyes and saw her daughter’s safety strap dangling in front of her face as they hung upside down. She reached out for it, secured it, and held it as they both started screaming until the ride was over.
Despite the short duration of the ride—less than a minute—she described it as the longest 47 seconds of her life.
Higgins reported the incident to an attendant after the ride had ended. The attendant seemed unconcerned about her worries, she thought.
According to the worker, she escalated the situation and vented her worries to guest services.
As stated in the ride’s disclaimer sign, riders are advised to maintain a firm grip and fasten the comfort collar during the ride.
According to Higgins, security took her family off the premises following an argument with SeaWorld employees.
She believes SeaWorld was grossly negligent. She’s worried this may happen to someone else.
Higgins posted a video of herself on social media, which she says her niece shot at the moment the strap fell loose.
Social media users have viewed the video 8.5 million times.
According to Higgins, after the incident, she was offered complimentary passes to SeaWorld, money back for the tickets she bought, and finally, $1,000—all of which she declined.
SeaWorld San Diego asserted that there was no cause for fear regarding safety during the ride and that safety is taken extremely seriously.
The coaster’s two restraining gear, the lap bar and shin bar, are still in place, according to SeaWorld.
A second sign outside the ride says the strap is designed for comfort only.
