Seven injured on theme park ride in Bruges

Seven people were taken to hospital after a ride malfunctioned at Boudewijn Seapark in Bruges, causing a rollercoaster to descend uncontrollably.

The incident happened when the ride suddenly dropped during its final descent. Five of the injured were children.

“Things suddenly went wrong halfway through, the attraction came down uncontrollably during the last three metres,” said park director Lars van den Ham. “The descent was therefore more abrupt than anticipated.”

Police said all seven victims suffered minor injuries. “All victims were accompanied by a family member,” said Bruges police spokesperson Lien Depoorter, noting that most of those injured were children.

The ride was immediately closed following the incident, while an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the malfunction.

“For the time being, we have no idea what technical defect was at the root of this incident,” Van den Ham said.

"It is the first time in 12 years that I have experienced something like this. Of course, this should never have happened."

Van den Ham stressed that the park follows strict safety protocols. “We inspect all rides twice a year,” he said.

The incident has renewed attention on ride safety in Belgian amusement parks, following several previous accidents in recent years such as incidents at Plopsaland earlier this year and in 2022, as well as at Walibi last May and in 2024.

Boudewijn Seapark remained open after the accident, although the affected attraction will stay closed pending further technical inspections.