Video: Indian tourist succumbs to injuries after being thrown from horse-drawn carriage in New York's Central Park

An 18-year-old passenger who was ejected from a horse-drawn carriage after the horse suddenly became tangled in Central Park on Wednesday has died, police said.

According to Fox News, the person has been identified as Romanch Mahajan, an Indian tourist visiting NYC from India.

According to the New York Police Department, the incident occurred shortly before 3:00 p.m. (local time) when the teenager was riding in a carriage with three other passengers. At least two passengers were thrown from the moving carriage when the horse ran out of control.

The young man was taken to hospital in critical condition, but later succumbed to his injuries. The remaining passengers refused medical treatment.

A spokesman for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers and other workers in the industry, said the driver got out of the carriage to take photographs of passengers, an action which is against industry rules.

According to Alexander Kemp, administrative vice president of the union’s local chapter, the horse had been working in Central Park for just six weeks. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

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“Safety in the park is one of many growing concerns and improvements need to be made with respect to all vehicles, including e-bikes, vans, podiatrists and horse-drawn carriages,” he said in a statement.

What does the video show?

Video footage showed horses racing through the park while two individuals appeared to jump from a moving four-wheeled carriage. Another video captured a carriage overturning after its wheels collided with the wheels of another carriage on one of the park’s busy paths.

The accident comes at a challenging time for Central Park’s horse-drawn carriage industry, which has been in business for more than 150 years. Supporters view carriage rides as a beloved New York tradition that offers visitors a nostalgic experience while supporting hundreds of jobs for drivers and those involved in horse and horse racing.

But the industry is facing growing pressure from critics who say the rides are cruel to horses and pose safety risks to riders and the public, fueling calls for a ban.

Central Park covers an area of nearly 850 acres and welcomes millions of visitors each year.

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The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization responsible for managing the park, reiterated its support for a ban on horse-drawn carriages. After passing such a ban last summer, the organization said the back-to-back incidents underscored the need to end the industry.

“A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. This is not an acceptable cost for an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the busiest public spaces in America,” the group said.

Wednesday’s incident comes amid a series of recent horse-related incidents in Central Park, including the death of a horse that collapsed in the park last week.

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Previous incident involving a horse

A horse named Deniz collapsed and died on June 9 while pulling a carriage with two passengers and a driver near East 90th Street in the park. Fortunately, none of the train’s passengers were seriously injured, according to ABC News.

According to an autopsy report released by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) on Tuesday, the horse had consumed a Japanese yew plant before it died. The ornamental plant found along the curb is highly toxic and potentially fatal to horses.

In response to renewed calls from the Central Park Conservancy and animal welfare advocates to ban horse-drawn carriage rides, TWU defended the industry and opposed efforts to ban carriages from the park.