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A teenager has died after being thrown from a roller-coaster called Hell at a theme park in Benidorm.

The 18-year-old is thought to have been flung from the ride at the Terra Mitica theme park after his harness failed yesterday afternoon.

The teen - who was on holiday with his parents and a friend - suffered horrific injuries including multiple fractures and head wounds.

National newspaper El Mundo last night quoted local councillor Jose Marcet saying the dead man was British.

However, this morning a police spokesman said: “He is from Iceland and not Britain as some reports have said.”

A local judge has launched an investigation into the incident which happened on a ride called 'Inferno' - Catalan for 'Hell.'

A shocked British witness to the horror told the Mirror how her teenage daughter had been on the ride, which only has eight seats, just 5 minutes before.

Lynn Alexander, from Glasgow, is holidaying in Benidorm with friends and her family and the group had gone to the theme park for a day of fun.

She said: It’s totally shocking. We actually had out back to the ride as we had just picked the girls up and were walking away but then we heard these loud gasps.

“We turned around and saw a group of people shouting ‘drop, drop’ and pointing. Then it became apparent what happened and everyone was in shock.

“The park got everyone off the ride but it seemed to take ages. Then we saw the teenager’s family and they were obviously distraught.

“What surprised me is that they didn't even close the park down. We are still in shock and can't believe it. My daughter is so shaken up as she could have been in the same seat just five minutes earlier.”

The roller coaster where the accident happened is called Inferno - Catalan for 'Hell'.

It does 360 degree turns and produces 3g forces at speeds of more than 40mph.

A judicial source confirmed a court in Benidorm had opened an investigation.

The source said: "Benidorm court number two has opened an investigation following the death of a person involved in an accident at a ride in Terra Mitica theme park.

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"The judge is awaiting a police report after which he will decide what action to take.

"We don't have any more information at this stage

Benidorm's National Police said: "We are still investigating and can't give out any information about the victim or his age or nationality at this stage."

The incident happened around 4.30pm yesterday.

The teenager is understood to have been with his dad, his brother and a friend when it happened.

He was alive when paramedics arrived but died inside the ambulance after suffering heart arrest around 5.30pm

Terra Mitica, which translates literally as 'Mythical Land' in English, was opened in 2000 and the roller-coaster at the centre of the tragedy was opened in July 2007.

It is in the Egypt zone, one of the five-themed zones of the theme park, which is influenced by ancient Egyptian culture.