Riders left dangling in air after roller-coaster breaks down

The signature roller-coaster at the Shanghai Happy Valley amusement park in Songjiang District won't be opened until a thorough investigation is done, as it has broken down twice in the past three weeks.

The Songjiang District Administration for Market Regulation said on Friday that experts have been sent to the park to do checks after riders were left hanging in the air for 10 minutes on Wednesday when the roller-coaster went wrong again.

The roller-coaster, named Diving Coaster, stopped abruptly, and the riders suspended in mid-air had to be brought down with the help of maintenance ladders.

This was the second such incident in the past three weeks.

The park operator said a sensor system alarm caused the suspension of the ride and that the roller-coaster operation would be suspended for repair.

The highest point on the Diving Coaster is 64.9 meters and has a top speed of 115 kilometers per hour. It has a seating capacity of 30 people.

Late last month, riders were left hanging in the air for 20 minutes after the same roller-coaster stopped midway through a ride.

Officials said the facility will only be allowed to reopen once the problem has been resolved and it meets safety standards.