Roller coaster horror: 8 students rescued from Texas Pleasure Pier ride after swinging from 30-foot drop | Follow

At least eight students in Texas were left hanging from a roller coaster roughly 100 feet above the ground for nearly four hours before firefighters safely rescued them.

KHOU reported that the Iron Shark roller coaster at the Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas, failed Thursday night, leaving a group of Houston students standing upright shortly before the top of the famous 100-foot drop.

Here is what happened

The ride stopped around 5:30 p.m., prompting Pleasure Pier officials to contact the Galveston Fire Department. Rescue teams then reached the stranded students using a cargo ladder and carried them out one by one with careful intervention.

Reports indicate that firefighters spent over three hours rescuing the students from the roller coaster. Firefighters said the rescue operation was slow and methodical, with roughly 20 minutes between crashes.

Rescuers used a tower truck to reach the runway, securing each student in a harness and carefully removing them from their seats before carrying them down one by one. The tower car reached a maximum height of 105 feet.

Students were on a field trip: HISD

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) confirmed that students participated in a field trip organized by Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy Middle School, both charter schools in the district.

“We are thankful that all students, staff and chaperones are safe. School officials are in direct contact with the families of all students who were on the field trip,” the district said in a statement. “We are grateful for the rescue efforts of first responders and park staff.”

Students doing well: fire chief

Galveston Fire Chief Mike Varela said the students did well, all things considered, adding, “Obviously they were shaken up from climbing the ladder and being in the hot sun.”

The fire chief said the students were also checked for dehydration and that “everyone seems to be doing pretty well.”

Varela praised the six-member rescue team for carrying out the operation safely and efficiently, saying it was specially trained for such rare but high-risk emergencies. He praised the crew’s quick response and professionalism in bringing down all eight riders safely.

He also noted that the Pleasure Pier was designed to allow emergency crews access to the Iron Shark ride if necessary. According to Varela, a paved path was built around the carousel so that rescue equipment could reach the back of the pier in case of an emergency.

The Iron Shark ride features a 100-foot drop

According to the Pleasure Pier website, the Iron Shark roller coaster includes a 100-foot vertical lift and a drop behind the vertical. It reaches speeds of 52 miles per hour and riders must be 42 inches tall to board.

Pleasure Pier chief operating officer Terry Turney said the ride had stopped due to the breakdown. In a statement, Turney said: “The ride experienced a malfunction during its initial climb; however, as designed, it stopped immediately to keep everyone safe.” He added: “Our immediate focus was the safety of our guests. We therefore contacted the fire service to assist and ensure all guests were safely removed from the ride. A thorough inspection will take place before the ride is brought back into service.”

The exact cause of the impaired driving remains under investigation. Iron Shark will remain closed until a full inspection has been completed.