Boy Dies in Amusement Park Ride Accident in Southern Beirut
A 13-year-old boy died at the Fantasy Land amusement park in southern Beirut after falling from a ride. The incident sparked local outrage, a security investigation, and disputes over safety.
A 13-year-old boy, Mohammad Mahdi Abbas Saleh, died on Saturday, October 17, following an incident at the Fantasy Land amusement park in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The boy fell from a ride known as "The Worm" while visiting with other students on a school trip organized by the Al-Akhia al-Lubnani school in Nabatieh.
Following the tragedy, local authorities and security forces ordered the immediate closure of the amusement park. While park management claimed the boy jumped from the ride and denied any mechanical failure, relatives and witnesses disputed this account, asserting that the ride malfunctioned and had previously trapped children.
Investigation and Public Outrage
The shifting blame and management's response sparked widespread public outrage on social media. A relative of the victim published videos online allegedly showing that the ride was faulty, accusing the owners of trying to protect their business rather than taking responsibility for the safety failures.
What will ultimately determine who bears responsibility are the ongoing investigations.
Local municipal officials, including Ghobeiry mayor Ahmed al-Khansa, emphasized that the official investigation by internal security forces would establish the facts. Meanwhile, reports surfaced on social media regarding a previous accident at the same location in 2016, when the site operated under the name Fantasy World, resulting in six injuries.
Corporate Responses
The company formerly associated with Fantasy World released a statement expressing condolences to the family while clarifying that it had ceased operating and managing the park approximately five years ago. The internal security forces are continuing their probe into the circumstances surrounding Saturday's fatal incident.
