Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently shuts down X2 after series of catastrophic brain injuries

A massive roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain has closed permanently after passengers allegedly suffered a series of catastrophic brain injuries.The Valencia theme park’s president Brian Oerding announced on Tuesday that after almost 20 years of the X2 in operation, the park made the decision to permanently retire the roller coaster.“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,” Oerding wrote in a theme park blog post.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story “Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”The X2 initially opened in 2002 as the X roller coaster before undergoing upgrades and reopening as X2 in 2008, KTLA reported.It was the world’s first fourth-dimensional roller coaster, reaching speeds of nearly 80 mph, with seats that could rotate 360 degrees during drops of up to 200 feet. Oerding ended his post about how the ride “has welcomed more than 16 million guests and earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts.”“We recognize the special place X2 holds in the coaster community, and we are grateful to our team members who operated and maintained it throughout its run.”The closure comes on the heels of two deaths and a dozen injuries linked to the thrill ride at the park over the past 24 years.The coaster has been shut down since July 12 after two riders suffered catastrophic injuries and needed emergency brain surgery in incidents just days apart this summer, according to an investigation by CNN.Earlier this month, three new lawsuits were filed against the park, and a manufacturer of the X2 coaster, from people who alleged the coaster caused them traumatic brain inj...