Boy, 14, plummets to his death from theme park ride

WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: A teenager has died after falling from a theme park ride at Icon park in Florida, in the United States.

Tyre Sampson, 14, tragically fell from the Orlando FreeFall ride on Thursday (local time). He was visiting Florida with his school football team from Missouri.

The ride, which is touted as the world's tallest freestanding drop tower, opened in December 2020 at the park.

According to Sheriff John Mina, authorities were called to the park at 11pm. The teenager was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

"It appears to be a terrible tragedy," he said during a press conference on Friday (local time).

"Our prayers and thoughts are with the family. We can't imagine what they're going through."

Footage circulating online shows a person falling from the ride as it plummets towards the ground.

Several witnesses saw Tyre Sampson fall from the ride

The US Sun reported a witness who called authorities was heard saying the ride's staff “didn’t secure the seatbelt on him.”

According to the publication, the dispatcher asks the person calling if Tyre was awake with the caller responding that his “arms and feet are broken.”

One park worker told Fox News that several people thought a “piece of the ride” had fallen to the ground, later realising that a person was laying on the ground.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed an investigation into the incident was taking place, describing it as being in the “very early stages.”

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"This death investigation is in its very early stages," a statement from the sheriff's office read.

"This is all the information we have for release at this time. We will send updates when they become available.”

According to the website, the Orlando FreeFall ride is 131 metre tall and is the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower. The ride holds 30 passengers and rises in the air, rotates around the tower and then tilts to face the ground before free falling at more than 120km/ph.

The ride is currently closed at the park.

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