Rescuers work to free those trapped for more than four hours (Picture: Pixel)

Alton Towers is to remain closed while an investigation is carried out into the rollercoaster crash which left four seriously injured, the park’s chief executive has said.

A total of 16 people were involved in the collision on the Smiler ride this afternoon.

It is believed their carriage crashed into an empty one at around 2.10pm – but those on-board were only freed after 6.30pm.

Two men, 18 and 27, and two woman, 17 and 19, suffered significant lower limb injuries and were given pain relief at the scene, said Steve Wheaton, assistant chief ambulance officer for West Midlands Ambulance Service.


He said: ‘Of the other 12 patients we now believe they will be walking wounded patients and the delay has just been in extricating them from the car.



‘Of the four critically injured with lower limb injuries two of them have gone to the Royal Stoke University Hospital and two of them have gone to the University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire as trauma centres.’

A picture taken by a guest appears to show bloodied faces on the Smiler (Picture: PA)

Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, said the park will remain shut for an undisclosed period.

He explained: ‘This has been a terrible incident and a devastating day for everyone here. I would like to express my sincerest regret and apology to everyone who suffered injury and distress today and to their families.

‘The safety of our visitors is our primary concern. The Park will remain closed until we understand better the cause of this dreadful incident.

‘I would like to thank the emergency services for their swift and effective response today – they were outstanding. A full investigation is now underway and we will continue to work closely with the emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive.’

Guests, who have said the ride was experiencing problems earlier today, were tweeting pictures of the incident on the 14-loop rollercoaster which was opened in May 2013.

A guest’s photo shows how the bottom of one Smiler carriage has buckled (Picture: PA)

Been a fan of #altontowers for 15 years but I am outraged about what's just happened. Two cars crashing on #smiler pic.twitter.com/UYhOdhSZv6 — Kirsty Wild (@kirstythewild) June 2, 2015

Sophie Underwood, who was waiting to board the ride, told the BBC: ‘They had made quite a few announcements to say there were technical difficulties. They were sending coaches around with nobody on them.

‘And then they said they had sorted it out so they decided to put people on the coach.’

Ms Underwood described a carriage carrying passengers crashing into another that was stationary at the top of the ride.

‘It was quite scary,’ she continued. ‘There was a big crash and as soon as everybody heard the crash everybody started walking back and leaving the ride.’

Air ambulance have arrived @altontowers leaving 16 people with serious and minor injuries pic.twitter.com/75EgOP50Nb — WMidsEmergencyAlerts (@WMidsAlerts) June 2, 2015

Ms Underwood added that from where she had been, she could see people had been injured.

Witness Ben Richardson, who had been on the ride earlier in the day, told the broadcaster the empty carriage testing the system was static when the one carrying passengers was sent along the rollercoaster at ‘around 50mph’.

He said: ‘On the second carriage people were screaming and shouting. Even after it had stopped there was screaming and shouting. Everyone was shocked and no-one knew what to do. It was a bit erratic and there was quickly a large crowd there.’



A rescue mission was sparked to reach the injured, treat them and transfer them to hospital.

Incident at Alton Towers – pictures from the scene : pic.twitter.com/CWj413QHmb — WMAS (@OFFICIALWMAS) June 2, 2015

Incident at Alton Towers – pictures from the scene: pic.twitter.com/lDjsD3GAEm — WMAS (@OFFICIALWMAS) June 2, 2015

At the time a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘A platform has been built up in order for emergency services to reach the occupants on the ride who are approximately 25 feet up in the air at an angle of about 45 degrees.

‘Our HART paramedics, doctors, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Alton Towers’ rope rescue staff are working at height to carefully release and treat the four seriously injured teenagers.

‘The 12 other occupants on the ride are said to have suffered minor injuries and it’s hoped that they will be discharged from the scene.’

The Smiler's rough history The Smiler opened in May 2013

Just two months later it was closed amid safety fears – visitors queuing raised the alarm when they saw a piece of metal fall to the ground

Then, in November 2013, it was closed again after a wheel came loose and hit people in the front row

Ian Crabbe, divisional director of the Alton Towers Resort, said: ‘May I first say that my colleagues and I are devastated by what has happened here today, and our only priority at this time is to work with the emergency services to get the 16 people affected off the ride safely, and most importantly those who are injured are being cared for.

‘Our concern is with and for them and for their safety, and all our thoughts and efforts are focused on them.

‘Just to recap at around 2pm this afternoon there was an incident on the Smiler ride involving two carriages coming together on a low section of the track. One of the carriages was empty and the other had 16 guests in.

The park’s first responder team were on site in minutes, and the emergency services shortly after. The emergency services, including the air ambulances, remain in attendance and are assisting Resort staff as they work to evacuate those on the ride.


‘We can confirm that four guests have sustained serious injuries, and they are being treated at the scene until they can be evacuated.

‘A full investigation is underway, and representatives of the Health and Safety Executive are already on site and working with us. But as I said our absolute priority at the moment is to ensure that all the guests affected are safely off the ride and are being cared for.’

The Smiler (Picture: PA)

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