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Two people are in critical condition following an incident in which a tree fell onto PortAventura’s Tomahawk coaster
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 13 Feb 2024
Tomahawk is a duelling wooden coaster that first opened in 1997
Fourteen people have been injured - two seriously - after a tree fell onto a rollercoaster at Spain’s PortAventura theme park.
Tomahawk has been operating since March 1997, with the Custom Coasters International-designed duelling wooden coaster reaching speeds of up to 30mph (48kmph) and a maximum height of 44ft (13.5m). For the 2015 season, the ride’s trains were replaced with Mini-llennium Flyer trains from GCI.
A park statement said that “strong winds” were to blame for the accident, which it said was “completely unrelated to the operation and maintenance of our attractions”.
According to emergency services responding to the incident, five people were taken to hospital, including two who were in critical condition and subsequently airlifted to hospital. Children were reportedly among those injured.
The full statement reads: “This Sunday morning, due to an episode of strong winds, a fortuitous event occurred when a tree fell near the Tomahawk attraction. Some of the branches hit customers who were on the ride. After activating our emergency protocols, the people affected were immediately attended to by our first aid teams alongside EMS, and some were subsequently taken to hospital for further medical attention. PortAventura World is monitoring the evolution of their condition, with full readiness to offer any necessary assistance at this time, as well as full support of the families.
“This is an incident completely unrelated to the operation and maintenance of our attractions, which meet the highest safety standards and are subject to rigorous daily checks.
“We are offering our full cooperation to authorities, and thank our team and emergency services for their efficiency and professionalism.”
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