One person died and multiple others were injured after an incident on the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta on Monday afternoon.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, an Atlanta resident, was found unresponsive and not breathing beneath the ride just before 16:00 local time. The Cobb County Police Department said preliminary information from witness and employee interviews indicates Kariem was ejected from the ride, struck other patrons, and then fell beneath the attraction.

Witnesses described seeing Kariem ejected from his seat. A witness quoted by CNN affiliate 11 Alive said Kariem had come loose from his seat, struck the rollercoaster and fellow riders, then fell onto the roof of a nearby haunted house attraction. The incident was captured in souvenir photos automatically taken during the ride. Another witness, CiCi Nelson, told CNN she saw an empty seat with a loose safety bar and a girl covered in blood when the rollercoaster returned. Brittany Landry, who believes she witnessed the ejection, told Fox News she was in tears.

A husband and wife who were on the ride told 11 Alive that workers had checked their safety harnesses before departure. "We were having a great time and to just screaming 'Oh my God, what is happening?'" the woman said.

The Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, which enforces amusement park safety rules in Georgia, said it was reviewing the incident to ensure compliance with applicable policies. Six Flags said it was temporarily closing nine rides across the US and Canada as a precaution.

This is at least the seventh death at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to the Doan Law Firm, which tracks amusement park accidents. The Goliath ride, which opened in 2006, reaches speeds of 70 mph and features a 170-foot plunge and 540-degree spiral.

Brian Avery, a University of Florida professor specializing in amusement ride operations, told the BBC that rollercoasters are not federally regulated. He said the industry designs rides "to flirt with danger" by taking people "up to the edge, but we're not actually putting them in danger." He emphasized the importance of understanding why tragedies occur to prevent future incidents.

The death comes weeks after Six Flags' park in southern California closed the X2 rollercoaster following more than 100 allegations of brain injuries from riders. Six Flags said the ride had passed safety tests but decided to retire it as "the right thing to do."