Terrifying Moment Roller Coaster Stops Mid-Ride With 22 Riders Trapped Leaving 10 Injured

This is the terrifying moment a roller coaster suddenly stops mid-ride, leaving 22 riders stranded, of which 10 were injured.

The malfunction happened at Sunway Lagoon in Bandar Sunway, in the city of Subang Jaya, Selangor state, Malaysia, at around 9pm on Saturday, 22nd August.

The ride had been carrying 22 local visitors and foreign tourists aged between 11 and 44 when it abruptly stopped, leaving those on board needing to be brought down.

Video footage shows a pair enjoying the ride before it suddenly comes to a stop, sending the phone tumbling down.

Further scenes show riders being evacuated from the attraction, while another clip shows a woman being carried down a flight of stairs on a stretcher.

Subang Jaya district police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said 10 riders were injured and taken to medical centres in Subang Jaya for treatment.

All 10 suffered minor injuries and there were no deaths, according to police.

The exact mechanical failure that caused the roller coaster to stop has not yet been established.

Social media claims suggested the ride had "skidded off the tracks", but police have not confirmed that the roller coaster left its track or otherwise derailed.

Jeffrey Cheah, the founder and chairman of the company behind Sunway Lagoon, later said he believed the incident "may be attributable to metal fatigue", although the cause remained subject to investigation.

Cheah also said the ride had been temporarily closed for inspection and maintenance for around two to three weeks before the incident.

He told local media: "It's an incident that all of us regret very much. We are lucky that there were no fatalities."

A visitor said she received a call from her husband during the incident telling her that he was stuck on the ride and that some riders had been injured.

She said she tried not to panic while waiting below as the evacuation took time.

Her husband, child, siblings and nieces and nephews were among those riding when the roller coaster stopped, according to her account.

Police received a report at 11.45am on Sunday, 23rd August, and launched an investigation into what had happened.

Wan Azlan urged the public not to speculate, warning that unverified claims could interfere with the investigation.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said on Wednesday, 26th August, that the state government was waiting for a technical report from police before the investigation could be completed.

He said: "I am waiting for a technical report from the police and they will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident."

Sunway Theme Parks confirmed that the incident took place at Sunway Lagoon and said it was "working closely and fully cooperating" with the authorities investigating it.

The operator said its immediate focus had been on the care, medical needs and wellbeing of those affected, adding that it had provided medical assistance and support to the riders and their families.

(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)