Alton Towers ride breakdown leaves passengers 180 feet in the air

FILE PICTURE - Oblivion, Alton Towers theme park, Staffs. Passengers were escorted off the Oblivion ride at Alton Towers after it stopped at its highest possible point. Picture: SWNS

Passengers on the Oblivion rollercoaster at Alton Towers were left perched 180 feet in the air after the ride came to a halt at its highest possible point.

Alton Towers Air ride suffers mid-air breakdown

The incident happened due to a “minor technical fault”, only yards away from the Smiler rollercoster where two girls lost a leg in an accident at the theme park in 2015, 14 others were injured.

Staff were forced to climb the ride to rescue the stranded passengers, suing harnesses to help them off the rollercoaster and back to ground.

The ride coming to a halt was a routine stoppage with passengers’ safety not risked.

“This afternoon Oblivion stopped after a sensor on the ride detected a minor technical fault,” said a spokesperson for Alton Towers.

“The ride performed exactly as it is designed to do. In line with our well-rehearsed procedures, guests were assisted from the ride.

“At no point was guest safety compromised.”