In the U.S., passengers were stranded on a roller coaster 9 minutes before the drop

In the first few days after the opening of the Cotaland amusement park in Texas, two incidents occurred in quick succession on the Circuit Breaker ride. This is a roller coaster with a tilting feature.

These incidents raised questions about the safety of the new ride.

A video began circulating widely online showing people on the roller coaster stuck at the highest point before a vertical drop. They are frightened and don’t know what to do. The video then shows Cotaland staff helping the riders exit the ride.

According to amusement park staff, the stoppage occurred as part of the ride’s safety systems, and a second, brief stoppage of the “Circuit Breaker” ride with 19 passengers was also confirmed.

The train came to a stop at a vertical angle. The passengers remained securely strapped into their seats for approximately nine minutes. The train was then returned to a horizontal position, and staff helped the passengers exit. No one was injured, and no medical assistance was required, according to Cotaland.

The next day, the situation repeated itself, but the train “froze” for two minutes. There were no injuries.

According to the TV channel, the Circuit Breaker ride, like modern roller coasters and other large attractions, is equipped with numerous sensors and safety systems that continuously monitor operating parameters. If any of the required conditions are not met, the system can automatically stop the ride, preventing it from continuing.

In such cases, passengers remain securely fastened while staff follow established procedures, conduct necessary inspections and test cycles, and then return the ride to operation.

"Periodic stoppages during operation are a normal occurrence for complex rides. Our goal is to promptly carry out the necessary checks, minimize inconvenience for guests, and give everyone the opportunity to continue enjoying their visit,” Cotaland assured.

After disembarking from the ride, the guests—who had just gone through a rather unpleasant experience—received apologies from management along with consolation gifts, such as T-shirts, season passes, and a free lap on the race track.

It should be noted that this same ride is already the subject of a lawsuit against the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), filed following an incident that brought traffic to a halt in December 2025.

According to court documents filed in Travis County, one of the visitors filed a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages after being stranded on a roller coaster at COTA at a 90-degree angle for over an hour.

At the time, COTA representatives attributed the stoppage to a malfunctioning sensor pin, which disrupted communication between the mechanical components and the ride’s computer control system.

ABC News reporters uncovered the details of the incident.

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