Page 5 - IAV Digital Magazine #629

Woman Knocked Unconscious By Duck While Riding Roller Coaster
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
By Nick Papantonis, WFTV.com
ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman is demanding $50,000 from SeaWorld after her fun, roller- coaster-filled day took a fowl turn.
The woman’s law- suit, filed Monday, said she was rid- ing the park’s Mako roller coast- er back in March when a duck flew into the coaster’s path, hitting her in the face.
The woman said she was knocked unconscious by the crash.
The woman’s law- suit said SeaWorld should have warned her about the danger- ous condition of the park before
she got on the ride and called the coaster a “zone of danger” that placed her in harm’s way.
“[SeaWorld] creat- ed a zone of dan- ger for bird strikes due to... placing the roller coaster over or near a body of water, which creates a higher risk of bird strikes involving ducks, gulls, geese and other waterfowl," her attorneys wrote.
The lawsuit also claimed the Mako roller coaster dis- oriented birds and increased the risk of collision.
WFTV reached out to SeaWorld, which does not typically comment on pending law- suits. However, the park has
issued short state- ments after past events saying safety for guests is a top priority that gets taken seriously.
Mako has been the subject of law- suits about flying objects in the past. However, if true, this appeared to be the first flying duck incident.
The alleged inci- dent was not included in the park’s quarterly report of injuries, illnesses and ail- ments that hap- pened to riders, many of them caused by pre- existing conditions and that includes minor incidents like wrist pain.
The duck’s condi- tion was not reported.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine