Christel (54) and her grandson Mason (4) visited Plopsaland amusement park on Monday to ride on the Mega Mindy Jetski attraction. However, things did not go as planned – as they waited to board the attraction, the attraction’s door did not open despite their attempts to alert the operator. The attraction then unexpectedly started, causing Mason to fall into the water. Christel, in her attempt to save her grandson, fell too and was injured by an iron bar on the ride. Luckily, another visitor saw the accident and called for the ride operator, who immediately shut it down. Although Christel’s injuries were serious, the family holds no malice towards the operator, who made a mistake but tried his best. Plopsaland is currently investigating the accident, which was caused by human error. The amusement park issued an official statement expressing their hope that Christel recovers well.
It must have been a nice way to end the day at the amusement park. This Monday, Christel (54) and her grandson Mason (4) wanted to take another ride on the Mega Mindy Jetski attraction in Plopsaland. It was 5 p.m. but nothing went as planned. And the two Aalst might not have made it.
As they waited to board the attraction, jet skis held by one arm and thrown into the water, the door of the device did not open. “My mom and my son had already done it several times, everything went well. But this time, it went completely wrong, ”explains Shanice, Christel’s daughter, to the Nieuwsblad.
Stuck on the platform, the 50-year-old and her grandson tried to alert the operator by shouting. Without success. “He also normally goes around to make sure everyone is safe inside the attraction. But not there… To their surprise, the attraction started”. Under the effect of the attraction, the little boy fell into the water. By wanting to hold him back, Christel was also dragged into the fall. “In the water, my mum received an iron bar on her, opening her arm. Luckily, another visitor saw it all and called for the ride operator, who immediately shut it down. It might have been much worse. »
More fear than harm even if the fifty-year-old was still seriously injured in the arm. “A nasty injury nonetheless. Mum is a freelance home nurse and probably won’t be able to work for a few weeks. It will heal but, mentally, she has a lot more difficulties, ”says Shanice.
The family does not blame the operator. “He should have seen they hadn’t come on board. But people make mistakes. We know that the man did not want any of this, he is also in shock. We don’t blame him. On the side of the park, we assume our responsibilities. An apology, compensation, and a free hotel stay with park access for the family.
Plopsaland has simply made do with an official statement for now. “After investigating the attraction, it turned out that there were no technical faults. The cause of the accident was human error, we can no longer communicate on this subject because the investigation is still ongoing. We have had contact with the victim and hope that everything will go well for her. »
In conclusion, the incident at Plopsaland serves as a reminder of the risks associated with amusement park attractions. While the family involved in this accident is grateful that the situation did not turn out worse, it is important for park operators to prioritize safety and prevent human error from potentially causing harm. As investigations continue, we can only hope that Plopsaland takes the necessary measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
