Crime & Safety
Riders Trapped 300 Feet Above on Knott's Berry Farm Ride
No one was injured when the ride malfunctioned, according to authorities.
Twenty riders were trapped about 300 feet above Knott's Berry Farm on the Wind Seeker thrill ride for more than three hours Wednesday before the ride was lowered and they were returned safely to the ground.
The Wind Seeker, which also became stuck on Sept. 7, stopped working about 4 p.m, Jennifer Blazey of Knott's Berry Farm said.
A security system activated on the ride, causing it to shut down, KCAL9 reported.
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The riders reached the ground by about 7:50 p.m., according to broadcast reports.
The ride, which opened in August 2011, has 32, two-person gondolas that go 301 feet up and then swing riders for a minute at a 45-degree angle at eight rotations per minute, according to the theme park's website.
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There were no immediate reports of injuries, Buena Park police Cpl. Andy Luong said.
Orange County Fire Authority firefighters were not called to respond to the malfunctioning ride, Capt. Marc Stone said.
"I'm just happy to be on the ground. I kept imagining I was going to fall," an 11-year-old girl from Temecula, her knees still shaking from the ordeal, told KCAL9 after she and a friend got off the ride.
The Wind Seeker was manufactured by Netherlands-based Mondial, according to the Knott's website.