Emergency crews carry out a specialist rescue after 27 passengers became trapped on the Wipeout rollercoaster at Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft.
Twenty-seven people have been rescued after becoming trapped approximately 15 metres (49 feet) above the ground when a rollercoaster stopped at a theme park in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
The dramatic incident happened on Monday, August 31, at Pleasurewood Hills, where passengers were riding the park's Wipeout rollercoaster when the carriages suddenly came to a stop on the track.
The riders were left suspended high above the ground for several hours while emergency crews worked to determine the safest way to bring them down.
Fortunately, none of the 27 passengers was injured.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service eventually completed the rescue using specialist equipment, including an aerial ladder and a scissor lift, bringing every passenger safely back to the ground.
How the Incident Started
The incident occurred during the Bank Holiday Monday at Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft.
The Wipeout rollercoaster was operating when the carriages stopped unexpectedly on the track.
According to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, the train had come to a halt approximately 15 metres above ground level.
Although the situation was frightening, the passengers were not hanging upside down. The carriages had stopped while positioned on a section of the track, leaving the riders suspended in the air.
The emergency services were alerted and began preparing a specialist rescue operation.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the attraction at around 1:26pm, while other reports put the emergency call at approximately 1:36pm. Fire crews from Ipswich East, Ixworth and Lowestoft South attended the incident.
27 Passengers Left High Above the Ground
The 27 people on the ride faced a long wait as firefighters assessed the situation.
The Wipeout is not an ordinary small amusement ride. It is a large rollercoaster standing more than 40 metres (131 feet) tall, and it features twists, turns, a loop and two cobra rolls.
The ride is described by Pleasurewood Hills as its flagship rollercoaster and is regarded as one of the major attractions at the park.
During the breakdown, however, the passengers were stuck at a much lower section of the ride, approximately 15 metres above the ground.
Pictures released by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service showed firefighters working around the rollercoaster as they prepared to reach the passengers.
Some riders could be seen sitting at an angle because of the position of the track, but the fire service confirmed that they were not upside down.
A Long and Frightening Wait
For those trapped on the ride, the rescue was not immediate.
Passengers remained suspended in the air for up to about three hours while firefighters prepared and carried out the operation.
One visitor to the park, Richard Lines, said he had been near the Wipeout ride when the incident happened.
Lines told reporters that it appeared a power cut had affected several attractions at the theme park.
Video footage described in reports showed the rollercoaster carriages moving back and forth along part of the track before eventually coming to a standstill.
Lines said he felt particularly sorry for passengers who had been left in the air for such a long period.
For anyone sitting inside a rollercoaster, being trapped for several hours would have been an extremely stressful experience, particularly because passengers could not simply leave the ride themselves.
The emergency crews therefore had to approach the situation carefully to make sure that removing the passengers did not create additional risks.
Firefighters Launch Specialist Rescue
Once firefighters arrived, they began planning how to safely reach the passengers.
The rescue required specialist equipment because of the height and position of the rollercoaster.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said crews would use advanced rescue-at-height equipment to bring the passengers down.
Firefighters from three stations were involved in the operation.
Eventually, an aerial ladder and a scissor lift were used to reach the stranded passengers.
The passengers were then brought down safely, one by one.
The rescue operation required patience and careful coordination because firefighters had to ensure that every passenger could be safely transferred from the rollercoaster to the ground.
By the time the operation was completed, all 27 people had been successfully rescued.
All 27 Passengers Safely Rescued
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed that the operation had been successful.
At around 5:10pm, the service announced that firefighters had rescued all 27 passengers and brought them safely back to the ground.
Importantly, no one was injured.
The official incident record states that the emergency response ended at approximately 4:05pm, while the later public update confirmed that all passengers had been rescued.
The successful operation brought an end to several hours of uncertainty for the passengers, their families and other visitors at the theme park.
Pleasurewood Hills Responds
Pleasurewood Hills expressed gratitude to the passengers for the way they handled the situation.
The park said it understood that becoming stuck on a rollercoaster was not something visitors expected when they arrived for a day of entertainment.
The attraction also apologised to the people affected by the incident.
The park said the safety and wellbeing of its guests remained its highest priority and indicated that affected visitors would receive complimentary tickets as compensation for the disruption.
The response from the park came after firefighters had successfully removed all of the passengers.
What Is the Wipeout Rollercoaster?
The Wipeout is one of Pleasurewood Hills' best-known attractions.
The surfing-themed rollercoaster opened at the park in 2007 and was originally promoted as one of the tallest, fastest and most extreme rides in East Anglia.
The ride features several intense elements, including twists, turns, a loop and two cobra rolls.
According to Pleasurewood Hills, the ride stands more than 40 metres high.
The rollercoaster also underwent a major £1 million transformation during the winter of 2024-25.
That work included a new train fitted with waist-restraint lap bars designed to improve passenger comfort and safety.
The attraction is particularly significant to the theme park because it is described as its flagship rollercoaster.
This Was Not the First Rescue
Monday's incident was not the first time the Wipeout rollercoaster has experienced a problem requiring an emergency rescue.
In 2017, a man had to be rescued after the ride became stuck high on the track.
The previous incident also resulted in emergency crews attending the attraction.
The latest incident will therefore likely attract attention from the relevant authorities and the park's management as they seek to establish exactly why the ride stopped.
At the time of the initial reports, the precise technical cause of Monday's breakdown had not been publicly established.
Why the Rescue Took So Long
Rescuing people from a rollercoaster suspended high above the ground is very different from a normal emergency evacuation.
Firefighters have to consider the position of the train, the stability of the structure, the height, the safety restraints and the safest method of transferring passengers.
A rushed evacuation could potentially put passengers and rescuers at risk.
That is why specialist rescue-at-height equipment was brought to the scene.
The aerial ladder and scissor lift allowed firefighters to reach the passengers while maintaining a controlled rescue process.
Although the passengers had already spent a considerable amount of time waiting, the priority was to ensure that every person was brought down safely.
The fact that all 27 people were eventually rescued without injury demonstrates the importance of the careful approach taken by the emergency crews.
The Theme Park Was Busy
The incident occurred on a Bank Holiday Monday, which was also the final day of the theme park's summer season.
Pleasurewood Hills had extended its opening hours for the occasion.
This meant the park was operating with visitors enjoying its various rides and attractions when the Wipeout incident occurred.
The apparent power disruption reported by one visitor added another complication, although authorities had not immediately confirmed that a power cut was the definite cause of the rollercoaster stoppage.
Investigations will be needed to establish what caused the ride to stop and whether any mechanical or electrical problem was responsible.
What Happens Next?
Following an incident of this nature, attention is likely to turn towards the rollercoaster itself.
The park will need to establish why the Wipeout stopped and determine whether it can safely return to operation.
The safety of the ride and its passengers will remain the main priority.
The incident also highlights the important role played by emergency services in dealing with unusual situations at public attractions.
For the 27 passengers, the experience was undoubtedly very different from the exciting rollercoaster ride they had expected.
Instead of enjoying the twists and turns of the Wipeout, they found themselves waiting high above the ground for firefighters to reach them.
No Injuries Reported
Despite the length of the ordeal, the most important outcome was that all 27 passengers survived the incident without injury.
Firefighters successfully reached the stranded riders and brought them down using specialist equipment.
The operation eventually ended with every passenger safely on the ground.
The incident could have resulted in serious consequences if the rescue had not been carefully managed, but the emergency response ensured that the situation was brought under control.
For the passengers, the frightening experience is now over, although it is likely to remain a memorable part of their visit to Pleasurewood Hills.
Conclusion
The rescue of 27 people from the Wipeout rollercoaster at Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft was a major emergency operation that lasted several hours.
The ride stopped unexpectedly while approximately 15 metres above the ground, leaving all 27 passengers trapped in the carriages.
Firefighters from three Suffolk stations responded and used advanced rescue-at-height equipment to reach the riders.
An aerial ladder and a scissor lift were eventually used to bring the passengers down safely.
By the end of the operation, all 27 people had been rescued and no injuries were reported.
The incident has raised questions about what caused the rollercoaster to stop, particularly following reports from an eyewitness that several rides appeared to be affected by a power cut.
However, the exact cause had not been confirmed in the initial reports.
For now, the focus remains on the successful rescue and the safety of the passengers.
What began as an ordinary Bank Holiday visit to a popular Suffolk theme park ended with 27 people spending up to three hours suspended high above the ground.
Thanks to the work of Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, however, every one of them was eventually brought safely back to the ground.