3 charged over rollercoaster collision at Shenzhen Happy Valley
Shenzhen Happy Valley Park has remained closed since the October 27, 2023, roller coaster collision.
A roller coaster collision at Shenzhen Happy Valley Park on October 27 last year has resulted in legal charges against three individuals and administrative penalties for nine officials, according to an investigation report released on Monday.
The accident, which saw a train roll back and collide with another at the station, injured 28 people and prompted the park's indefinite closure.
An investigation team comprised of members from various government departments identified three key figures responsible for the tragedy.
The manager of Shenzhen Happy Valley surnamed Yue; the manager of the amusement park's equipment department surnamed Liu; and Zhou, project technical leader of Runchang Corp, the maintenance firm, will face legal repercussions.
They are accused of failing to uphold safety management standards and neglecting equipment maintenance while being responsible for design and construction flaws in the roller coaster itself.
Nine government officials responsible for the accident received administrative sanctions.
The report released by the Shenzhen city government found that the accident was mainly caused by poor equipment maintenance. A jaded bolt in the braking system snapped. This failure disabled the braking system, leading the rollercoaster to slide back down and hit the other.
The accident caused direct economic losses of 3.975 million yuan (US$560,000), with 28 people taken to hospital, including three people severely injured and seven with minor injuries.
The report also highlighted several underlying issues when dealing with the tragedy.
The initial reports about the incident were inaccurate and contained discrepancies. The public was not promptly informed about the full extent of the situation. Relevant government departments failed to conduct thorough investigations of potential safety hazards before the accident, it said.
Shenzhen Happy Valley Park has remained closed since the incident, with no confirmed date for reopening.
The park's operator issued a statement pledging to "learn valuable lessons from this tragedy, strengthen safety procedures, and ensure the future safe operation of the park."
