Friday August 19, 2011 at around 9:30 p.m., the decorative steel center mast on the “Sea Dragon” pirate ship pendulum ride snapped. The falling mast sent one teen boy to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three other people received treatment at the scene for minor injuries. Reports say that what caused the center mast to snap remains unclear. The amusement park accident occurred at Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier in Wildwood, NJ.
The same amusement park received unfavorable attention earlier in the summer for a fatal Ferris wheel accident. A young girl on a school trip plummeted to her death while the Ferris wheel was in motion. Post-accident inspections of the ride revealed no problems with the system of restraints for the ride or the ride itself. Findings indicate that young Abiah Jones may have stood up in the car in which she was riding alone, and lost her balance. The amusement park has since changed its height requirement for the ride, and will not allow passengers to ride in the cars alone.
The research of our amusement park accident law firm into the pirate ship center mast accident reveals that the manufacturer of the ride (Chance Rides) issued a service alert bulletin (in essence, a recall) relating to the center mast anchoring system in 2001. The bulletin said that the company had determined that over time, bolt anchoring holes could wear and expand, allowing the decorative steel center mast to come loose. Official investigations into the Sea Dragon amusement park accident have just begin. But chances are that they may find that this precise problem lies at the root of the mishap. This would make a solid case for amusement park negligence if Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier failed to repair the anchoring system after receiving notification of the problem.

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