Fun park ride operator turns himself in after teen’s death
The operator of an amusement park ride that claimed the life of a 19-year-old boy in Halkidiki, northern Greece, turned himself in to the authorities on Tuesday, state broadcaster ERT reported.
The suspect had been at large since a warrant was issued for his arrest after the 19-year-old died from massive head injuries caused by being flung from the spinning-chair ride when his seat came unstuck on Monday night.
The boy was on a family holiday at the seaside village of Pefkochori and had gone on the ride with one of his two brothers, who was also injured in the incident though to a much smaller degree.
The victim’s 16-year-old sibling told ERT on Tuesday that he hung onto the rail when he felt the back of the seat come unstuck and saw that his brother had been flung with force onto the ground.
The operator had allegedly told the boys that he would be cranking the ride up to full speed for their amusement. He reportedly fled the scene as soon as the accident took place.
Police have already arrested the amusement park’s 58-year-old owner.
The mayor of Kassandra, where Pefkochori is located, has indicated that the amusement park may have been operating without a proper license. An investigation is under way.
