Girl, 14, dies after part of rollercoaster ride ‘comes off rails’ at theme park in Denmark

A 14-year-old girl has died at a theme park in Denmark after the rear part of a rollercoaster ride reportedly came off the rails.

A boy, aged 13, also suffered injuries to one hand after the incident at the Tivoli Friheden amusement park in Aarhaus, the country’s second city.

The park said on Facebook that the accident happened when the track was in operation and part of the rear carriage broke off.

Police were called to the site around 12.50pm local time on Thursday, to reports a car was stuck on a ride and people were stuck.

Theme park manager, Henrik Ragborg Olsen, told local newspaper the Ekstra Bladet that the rear two seats of the Cobraen rollercoaster ride were hanging “under the wagon train”.

Two people were sitting on the rear seats and were taken to hospital, the newspaper reported.

A police investigation is now under way into the cause of the tragedy, which occurred around 97 miles (156km) northwest of the capital, Copenhagen.

In a later statement, the park said: “It’s hard for us to put into words the tragic accident of today, where a girl lost her life and a boy was injured.

“Our heartfelt thoughts are with the girl and the girl’s relatives, family and friends. Our thoughts are also with the boy, our staff and the many visitors at the park earlier today.

“We are cooperating with East Jutland Police and are now awaiting the technical investigations regarding the accident.”

The theme park has set up a special hotline for visitors who need professional crisis help.

The park will be closed on Friday, the statement added.

According to the park’s website, the rollercoaster is 25 metres (82ft) tall and the wagons have a top speed of 70kph (44mph).