Boy, 14, dies after falling from ‘Free Fall’ ride at ICON Park, deputies say

Orlando, FL — A teenager died Thursday night after falling from an amusement ride at ICON Park in Orlando, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded to ICON Park along the 8400 block of International Drive shortly after 11 p.m. after receiving a 911 emergency call.

Once on scene, they learned from witnesses that someone had fallen from the “Free Fall” attraction.

The sheriff’s office said the rider, age 14, was transported to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

OCSO told Eyewitness News that the death investigation is in its “very early stages” and had no other details to release about the incident.

“Free Fall” opened on Jan. 5, 2022 at ICON Park, along with another ride called “SlingShot.”

According to a news release issued when the rides debuted, “The Orlando SlingShot and Orlando FreeFall are owned and operated by The Slingshot Group, Keator Construction, LLC is the general contractor responsible for building these landmark attractions. The manufacturer of the rides is Funtime.”

The release detailed how the “FreeFall” thrill ride operates:

“The Orlando FreeFall™ at ICON Park stands at 430 feet, making it the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower. Thirty riders at a time can embrace the beautiful sites of ICON Park and I-Drive as the ride vehicle rotates around the gigantic tower and rises high into the skyline. Once the ride vehicle reaches the top, it’ll tilt forward 30 degrees and face the ground for a brief moment before free falling nearly 400 feet at speeds reaching over 75 mph.”

©2022 Cox Media Group