Teen dies after falling from Florida amusement park ride

A teenager has died as his parents looked on after he plunged metres to the ground from one of the tallest theme park rides in the world.

A 14-year-old boy has died after plummeting from an amusement park ride in the US state of Florida as his frantic parents looked on.

Disturbing footage of the incident shared on social media shows the boy plunging from the Orlando Free-Fall ride at ICON Park about halfway down its 122 metre descent.

Horrified witnesses and other riders began screaming after the ride came to a rest as the tragic teen lay motionless just mere feet away from them, reported the New York Post.

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ICON Park is a theme park near Orlando in Florida. Picture: Supplied.

“Oh my God!” screamed one woman. “Oh my God! He just fell! Oh my God!”

Witnesses said the boy’s parents were looking on as the tragedy unfolded around 11pm on Thursday, local time.

“Everyone was just panicking and screaming,” Montrey Williams told TV station Fox 35.

One frenzied woman can be seen asking staffers if they had secured the boy’s safety harness before the ride.

“Are you sure you checked him?” she asks repeatedly.

A look at the restraints on the Orlando Free Fall ride. They pull over the rider - similar to a roller coaster (no seat belts). 2 workers do safety checks and make sure restraints are locked. A 14-year-old boy tragically died in the ride last night. @fox35orlandopic.twitter.com/UuvjadcCJq

— Ryan Elijah FOX 35 (@ryanelijah) March 25, 2022

Other workers can be seen covering their mouths in paralysed disbelief while bystanders hurried their traumatised kids away from the scene.

Meanwhile, riders can be heard yelling at workers to unlock their harnesses.

Orange County police have not yet released the identity of the 14-year-old boy who died after being rushed to a hospital.

The Orlando Free Fall opened in December 2021 and claims to be the tallest freestanding drop tower. Picture: Fox 35.

Witnesses said the boy’s parents were looking on. Picture: Fox 35.

The Orlando Free-Fall opened in December 2021 and claims to be the US’ tallest freestanding drop tower. The ride stands 131 metres tall and can hold up to 30 people.

The ride spins around a gigantic tower after it reaches peak level in the air. Riders are positioned forward with their faces at the ground before dropping at 120 kilometres per hour.

An investigation is ongoing.

In 2020, a worker died while performing maintenance on a different attraction at ICON Park. Jacob Kaminsky fell about 18 metres to his death, according to the Orlando Sentinel. He was 21 years old.

This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.