New Thorpe Park rollercoaster closes again days after breakdown left riders stuck 236ft in the air
The UK’s tallest rollercoaster has been closed for a third time after it left thrillseekers stuck 236ft in the air at Thorpe Park.
Hyperia, which cost £18 million to build, has now been forced to close three times since it was opened last month.
The ride was designed to give people a “weightlessness feel”, “like you’re slightly coming out of your seat”, BBC Radio Surrey reports.
The theme park said in a statement: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to reopen Hyperia today, Wednesday 19th June.
“We will update our ride availabilty page with the latest information regarding the opening of Hyperia beyond today.
“We apologise for the disappointment this will cause and we are working hard to reopen Hyperia as soon as possible and will keep people updated via our website and social media.”
The ride boasts a maximum height of 236ft and a maximum speed of 80mph as it turns riders upside down three times on the 3,264ft (995m) track.
Hyperia also has the largest loop on any European rollercoaster, the park claims.
News of its failure to open comes after riders hoping to experience “an adrenaline-pumping experience” got more than they bargained for when they got stuck at the ride’s tallest point on Saturday.
The incident took place in the afternoon and was witnessed by visitors to the park.
One visitor said: “A guy went up with a harness, spoke to them and came back down. They’ve now closed the ride. It has been open and closed all morning and they have evacuated the whole ride area.”
Saturday’s incident came after the ride was first forced to close a day after opening following a technical malfunction.
A Thorpe Park spokesperson said at the time: “Hyperia experienced a short delay in operation today.
“Guests were held on the lift hill for approximately one hour before the ride was restarted and the train was brought back into the ride station.
“Stoppages are perfectly normal and commonly experienced in theme parks everywhere.
“At no stage was there any safety concerns for guests.”
While the ride was reopened on Sunday after Saturday’s incident, its first closure saw it unavailable for two weeks.
It is not known when it could reopen after being closed for a third time.
The title of the UK’s tallest rollercoaster was previously held by the Big One in Blackpool, which is just one foot smaller than Hyperia at 235ft. It has a maximum of speed of 85mph.
A spokesperson for Thorpe Park told The Independent: “Unfortunately Hyperia is unavailable today. Hyperia is simply experiencing some teething issues, this is a common occurrence with any new ride as it finds its feet. Stoppages are perfectly normal and commonly experienced in theme parks everywhere.
“We are working hard to re-open the ride as soon as possible and we will continue to update on our social channels, on our website and on the Thorpe Park app.”
