SeaWorld ride goes viral after ‘scary’ roller coaster incident

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — SeaWorld calls it 860 feet of pure excitement.

But for one woman and her daughter, the ride on the Electric Eel roller coaster was pure horror.

A video shows how, according to her, her daughter’s seatbelt came loose.

The video has now been viewed over five million times on social media.

“I was literally hyperventilating,” said Salina Higgins, the mother who was visiting San Diego with her daughter from Arizona.

According to Higgins, they were on the reverse heartline roll portion of the Electric Eel ride when the “comfort collars,” or straps that go over the shoulders, opened.

“She’s screaming at the top of her lungs because she, she says ‘my straps, my straps,'” Higgins said.

In June 2023, the Electric Eel was closed once due to a rider’s leg injury. At that time, no information was available on how this happened.

Cal/OSHA was called in to investigate the incident.

ABC 10news was present at the opening.

In addition to the belts that are lowered while driving, there is a lap bar.

But Higgins says SeaWorld’s response was the most shocking.

She says she was escorted out of the park after being refused free tickets.

“SeaWorld needs to own up to its actions. I don’t think an apology will suffice at this point, although they have offered me one. They really need to show that they are going to make changes,” Higgins said.

And as for Higgins’ daughter Ariella, who used to love roller coasters.

“How is she?” I ask.

“Since then, she hasn’t even slept in her own bed,” Higgins said.

SeaWorld released the following statement: