The incident occurred around 5:45pm Sunday afternoon with authorities saying that the woman is now in a critical condition after suffering substantial head injuries.
“It appears, at this early stage, the woman, believed aged in her 20s, may have walked on and entered the track to try and retrieve a dropped phone before she was hit by a rollercoaster carriage,” Victoria Police said.
“Sadly the woman was then found injured on the ground.
“Detectives from the Yarra Crime Investigation Unit are attending the scene and will work with WorkSafe to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
BREAKING: a part of the Melbourne Royal Show has been closed off and ride goers have been left stranded on a roller coaster as ambulance crews attend to a young girl believed to have sustained serious head injuries. @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/Lj7gMgaLak
— Sara Jones (@SaraJones_7) September 25, 2022
Following the incident, ride-goers were stuck on the roller coaster for several hours according to a stall owner at the show.
“Everyone was stuck in the ride for one to two hours,” she told the Herald Sun.
“They only got down about half an hour ago, but the screaming was so loud – I think everyone must have been really scared.
“The ride went up like normal, then there were screams, then it stopped and stayed that way for ages.”
The Royal Melbourne Show released a statement, confirming the incident and detailing that no one had fallen from the ride.
“The ride in question will be closed for the foreseeable future and updates will be made as information comes to hand,” they said.
The event will continue to run despite the incident, with the show expected to finish on October 2 at Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale.
It’s the first time in two years, the show has been up and running following a hiatus due to COVID-19.
