Man, 49, seriously injured after ‘emergency’ on 147ft rollercoaster in Madrid as thrillseeker airlifted to hospital

A MAN was rushed to hospital with horrific leg injuries after a shock incident on a Batman rollercoaster at a Spanish theme park. The 49-year-old was left with an open fracture to his left leg and a closed fracture to his right after the incident at Warner Bros. Park in San Martín de la Vega, Madrid, on Saturday. A man was rushed to hospital with horrific leg injuries after a shock incident on a Batman rollercoaster Credit: Alamy The 49-year-old was left with an open fracture to his left leg and a closed fracture to his right after the incident at Warner Bros. Park Credit: Getty Emergency crews raced to the scene before airlifting the stricken man to Madrid’s 12 de Octubre Hospital with a “potentially serious” prognosis. The terrifying accident happened on Batman Gotham City Escape, a monster 45-metre-high ride which opened in 2023. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The thrill ride plunges passengers down a brutal 98-degree drop, fires them through multiple launches and sends them hurtling at more than 100km/h. The rollercoaster was immediately stopped and emergency procedures were activated, according to Warner Bros. Park. The injured man was treated at the scene by emergency teams before being evacuated by helicopter. The attraction has since been shut to the public while the incident is investigated alongside the authorities. Witnesses described the aftermath as chaotic, with screams alerting people waiting near the ride. Noelia Hans, 21, said the scene left visitors “completely shocked” and that they left the park “deeply shaken”. Most read in The Sun Laura Muñoz claimed visitors did not see “any safety or evacuation protocols” as dozens remained in the waiting area in darkness and amid shouts. She said she and six colleagues, all military personnel, searched for an emergency exit before helping other visitors, particularly children, escape. The injured man was treated at the scene by emergency teams before being evacuated by helicopter Credit: Parque Warner The rollercoaster was immediately stopped and emergency procedures were activated Credit: Getty Muñoz also claimed there were “very distressed people who didn’t receive adequate attention”. She said a manager offered no explanation and “simply offered them a fast-track pass to return another day.” Despite the frightening incident, the rest of the park continued operating almost normally, with other rides still running around two hours later. Batman Gotham City Escape remained firmly closed as Civil Guard and Local Police vehicles were deployed at the entrance. By shortly before 6pm, dozens of onlookers had gathered outside the ride, with some apparently unaware of the earlier horror and left wondering why it was shut. The park’s app still listed the attraction as open, although it showed no waiting time. Behind the barriers, the thunder of the coaster could still be heard as cars raced along the track. Empty seats periodically emerged in what appeared to be operational tests, despite the ride remaining closed to visitors. The park, around 25km from Madrid, has suffered another deadly ride tragedy in the past. In 2005, a 22-year-old man died after an accident on the Haunted Hotel attraction. The park said at the time that he had stood up after suffering a panic attack and struck his head, while his family claimed the safety bar had malfunctioned and could be lifted without difficulty. The latest incident has now left Batman Gotham City Escape under investigation. Comment now