Boy Falls To Death From Drop Tower Ride At Orlando Theme Park

A teenager has died from injuries suffered after falling from a ride at a theme park in Orlando, Florida. The 14-year-old boy's name has not been released, but the incident occurred at the ICON Park entertainment complex, which had just recently opened. According to initial witness reports, the boy fell from the Orlando FreeFall ride attraction, which is described as the world's tallest freestanding drop tower at 430 feet. The Orange County Sheriff's office received a call about the incident around 11pm on Thursday night; the boy was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. 

The sheriff's office has released an early statement to the public, stating that "This death investigation is in its very early stages." There is no concrete report of what led to the fall; Fox 35 Orlando spoke to witnesses who claimed to see the boy's parents panicking as the teen fell. 

As one witness on the scene, Montrey Williams, told reporters: "At first we thought it was a piece of the ride or whatever until we got a little closer and it was a person laying on the ground. Everyone was just panicking and screaming."

The Orlando FreeFall and its neighbor the Orlando Slingshot are both owned and operated by the Slingshot Group of Companies, and director of marketing John Stine had the following statement: "We operate the ride with all the safety precautions in mind. Everything is in place and this is why we are doing this investigation,"

The Orlando FreeFall attraction holds up to thirty riders and operates by rotating and rising around a central tower all the way up to 430 feet in the air. The ride then drops approximately 400 feet, at speeds of upwards of 75 miles per hour. The attraction opened in December. 

An investigation is now underway. Below you can find more information about ICON Park entertainment complex: 

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Orlando, FL. While in our lovely city, they expect to see all kinds of attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and a plethora of natural features. However, as you build your itinerary, don't forget to include ICON Park! Orlando's premier entertainment complex, we feature a variety of amusement park attractions to luxurious dining to captivating museum exhibits. Whatever your favorite way to enjoy your vacation, ICON Park has something for you. Learn more about our many attractions and amusement park rides or get in touch with our team with your questions.