Test dummies fly off roller coaster and onto a hotel roof during routine test; theme park says ride is still safe

A New Jersey theme park is assuring the public its rides are safe, after a pair of water-filled test dummies flew from a roller coaster and crashed onto a nearby roof during a recent test run.

What are the details?

On April 20, Playland's Castaway Cove on the Jersey Shore conducted a routine safety check on its GaleForce Roller Coaster, using water-filled dummies. According to the park's vice president, Brian Hartley, the dummies contained undetected leaks, which caused them to lose their shape and flop off the ride.

The dummies landed on the nearby roof of the Ebb Tide Suites hotel, causing damage that was quickly repaired. No people were injured in the mishap.

Harley told WCAU-TV that the incident was "an unfortunate situation," but not to worry, insisting the roller coaster is 100 percent safe. He said "nothing failed on the ride at all," while admitting it wasn't a good look.

"We're going to have to do a better job at checking those tubes and making sure there's no leaks, obviously, before we send them out," he said.

The dummies came out of their harnesses due to the leak, which couldn't happen to a human being. Harley reiterated, "Obviously it's not something that would ever happen with a person in it," the Daily Mail reported.

The GaleForce is tested for two hours each day, and has remained open since the incident.

Anything else?

According to the park's website, the roller coaster is 125 feet high, and has a 64 mph launch speed. Passengers must be 48 inches tall in order to ride.