US amusement park retires famous roller coaster amid reports of brain injuries

A major amusement park in California confirmed that it will permanently shut down its famous X2 roller coaster following mounting reports of severe brain injuries and multiple lawsuits.

“While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” Six Flags Magic Mountain Park President Brian Oerding said in an operational update Tuesday.

The ride opened in 2008 in Valencia, California, carrying more than 16 million passengers across nearly two decades and featuring 360-degree rotating seats that reached speeds approaching 76 miles (122 kilometers) per hour.

The closure follows a CNN investigation documenting more than a dozen serious injuries and at least two deaths linked to the coaster, including two women who suffered severe brain injuries after riding six days apart in July.

Attorneys said last week that more than 100 riders had reported suffering brain injuries after using the attraction within the past two years. Three lawsuits were filed on behalf of severely injured riders, including Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, who remains hospitalized after suffering a severe brain hemorrhage.