THIS is the moment riders were stuck on the notorious Smiler rollercoaster after a “technical fault” saw it stop half-way through.
Footage shows thrill-seekers stranded on the Alton Towers ride as it ground to a halt for about 10 minutes yesterday.
It left some visitors stuck in a vertical climb at about 4.30pm.
One poster who recorded the incident on Snapchat said: “Over a year after the accident and they’re stuck again!!”
Another shot showed a technician climbing stairs to get to those trapped onboard while several onlookers recorded videos.
The £18m Smiler is a 14-loop steel-built ride and holds the world record for the greatest number of inversions on a roller coaster.
But it has been plagued by technical problems since its launch in May 2013.
One June 2, 2015, a loaded train collided with an empty test train, causing serious injuries to a number of riders.
Two teenagers – Vicky Balch and Leah Washington – needed their legs amputating after the crash.
Leah’s boyfriend Joe Pugh’s knees were shattered by the blow while Vicky’s boyfriend Daniel Thorpe suffered a broken leg and punctured lung in the horror, said to have been equivalent to a 90mph car crash.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Alton Towers owner Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on April 22, 2016, and fined £5m for health and safety breaches.
An Alton Towers spokeswoman said yesterday’s issue was a minor technical fault and the ride had done exactly what it was supposed to do and stopped.
She said: “At 16.26 yesterday The Smiler experienced a temporary stoppage as a result of a sensor detecting a minor technical issue.
“This was completely normal and what the ride, as well as others, are designed to do at theme parks across the world.
“At no point was guest safety compromised.”