Roller coaster part narrowly misses rider's head

A visitor at Cedar Point amusement park reported that a piece of metal detached from the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster and narrowly missed her head. The guest, Marisol Santiago, shared a video on social media showing the round metal piece she claims came from the ride. She stated that after informing park operations, the ride was shut down for about an hour for inspection and testing before resuming operation.

A spokesperson for the park confirmed that a small metal washer from the coaster's lift mechanism became detached. As a safety precaution, the Magnum XL-200 was temporarily closed for a thorough inspection. The ride, which debuted in 1989 as the first hyper-coaster and first to exceed 200 feet, reopened after the inspection was completed.

This event brings to mind a similar incident in August 2021 when a visitor was seriously injured by a metal object that broke off from the Top Thrill Dragster. That incident led to the permanent closure of the Top Thrill Dragster the following year, with Cedar Point debuting its replacement, the Top Thrill 2, in 2024.