After the death of the ten year old son of a Kansas lawmaker on the world’s tallest water slide, the ride is now closed for visitors. Caleb Schwab, the son of state Rep. Scott Schwab, suffered a “fatal neck injury” on Aug. 7 on the 168-foot Verruckt slide at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City water park which sends riders plunging down 17 storeys at up to 50 miles an hour (80 kph).
The park officials said that the world’s tallest water slide would be closed permanently, decommissioned and removed after the ongoing investigation is completed. The ride’s name means “insane” in German. The park will wait until the court gives it the approval to remove the water slide. As per the law of Kansas, the permanent amusement park rides need to undergo annual inspections which are not always done by the state firms and sometimes by the private ones. In Schlitterbahn’s case, all of its rides received a thumbs-up in June after they received private inspections.
Riders were required to be at least 54 inches tall. They were harnessed with two nylon seatbelt-like straps, one crossing the rider’s lap, the other stretching diagonally like a car shoulder seatbelt. Each strap is held in place by long straps that close with fabric fasteners, not buckles. Riders hold ropes inside the raft.
It’s not clear whether the Schwab family will sue or settle with the park, or if criminal charges will be filed, though the Kansas City PD tells KSHB charges aren’t likely.
