Texas roller coaster malfunction leaves 8 riders stranded 100 feet in the air for hours

U.S. newsTexas roller coaster malfunction leaves 8 riders stranded 100 feet in the air for hoursThe riders on the Iron Shark coaster at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier were all safely rescued.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Eight passengers had to be rescued Thursday from a roller coaster that got stuck after a malfunction at Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas. KPRCShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 29, 2026, 11:56 AM EDTBy Francie EbertEight riders were stranded nearly 100 feet in the air on Thursday evening after a roller coaster in Texas stopped during its vertical climb. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The Iron Shark roller coaster at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier came to a stop mid-ride, leaving passengers stuck on the incline for several hours.Video of the passengers in the car shows them facing toward the sky, seated in two rows of four, just before reaching the top of the ride.The passengers on the roller coaster were on a field trip, according to NBC affiliate KPRC 2 in Houston. It was organized by Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy High School, two Houston-area charter schools, KPRC 2 reports.Fire Chief Mike Varela Jr. said at a press conference that crews arrived around 5:30 p.m. to rescue the passengers. One by one, each rider was placed in a safety harness and guided into a truck basket, which then lowered them to the ground. “Once they made it up there, you know, they were able to use their skills to calm everyone down and reassure them that the equipment being used would keep them safe,” Varela said.Varela said the riders were “shaken up,” but “felt a sense of joy as well once their feet hit the ground.”A spokesperson for the City of Galveston said in a statement that they were all brought down safely.“The Galveston Fire Department safely extracted the last person shortly after 9 p.m,” the spokesperson said.Varela noted that tran...