Knott's ride again strands passengers 300 feet above ground
By SEAN EMERY / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
BUENA PARK – A malfunction Wednesday on a ride at Knott's Berry Farm left 20 riders stuck on the attraction for about three and a half hours.
The security system on the Windseeker attraction activated about 4 p.m., causing the ride to come to a halt at the top of the tower and leaving the riders trapped in gondolas about 300 feet above the ground, said Jennifer Blazey, a park spokeswoman.
Riders on the Windseeker ride at Knott's Berry Farm get stuck Wednesday afternoon around 4 in the afternoon. The 300 foot high ride held about 20 people captive as the park's ride maintenance crews worked to get the passengers down. The riders were still stuck at 6 pm when the amusement park closed.
"It basically got stuck," Blazey said.
The riders got off the attraction about 7:45 p.m., after it was lowered to the ground.
The ride will remain closed while park officials investigate the incident, Blazey said. No injuries were reported.
The malfunction was the second time in two weeks that riders have become stuck. On Sept. 7, 15 people were trapped on the ride about three hours, until crews manually raised the ride to the top and then lowered it to the ground. No injuries were reported.
The earlier malfunction was later attributed to an inaccurate reading in an electrical safety switch, according to Knott's officials, not a problem with the ride itself.
The Windseeker, the park's newest ride, has been operating about a year. It takes as many as 64 riders about 300 feet above the ground before whirling them at a 45-degree angle.
Knott's officials said each of the park's rides is "inspected, check-listed and properly maintained" on a daily basis.
Staff writer Michael Mello contributed to this report.
