Icon Park Orlando: what happened at Florida theme park - as boy, 14, fell to death from 400ft drop ride

A teenage boy who fell to his death from the world’s tallest drop ride in a Florida theme park last week was turned away from two other rides due to his size, according to his cousin.

Tyre Sampson died after falling from the Free Fall ride at Orlando’s ICON Park on Thursday (24 March) which stands at more than 400 feet.

The cousin of the 14-year-old dropped him off at the park before the incident and had been speaking with him on the phone as he was being turned away from several rides.

Shay Johnson told Spectrum 13 that the teen had wanted to go on the swing ride, but was turned away because he was “too big”.

Johnson said she told her cousin to try the Slingshot but he was also turned away, so he went on to try the Free Fall which he was allowed on.

She explained: “He called me, he say, “they let me ride. I can ride. I can ride”.

“I didn’t know it would be my last time talking to him alive. He just wanted to ride and have a good time.”

What happened at the park?

Police received reports of an emergency at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, just after 11pm local time on Thursday 24 March.

Witnesses said a 14-year-old fell to his death from the Free Fall attraction, which is 430 feet high and the tallest in the world, according to the ICON Park website.

Police, firefighters and paramedics arrived at the popular theme park on International Drive on Thursday evening after a 911 caller reported the incident.

Witnesses at the scene told officers that someone had fallen from the ride and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that a boy, 14, was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries, Fox35 reports.

The ride, which opened in Orlando on 28 December last year, can accommodate 30 people when it is loaded to capacity and thrillseekers are rotated around a central tower as they are lifted into the air.

When the carrier reaches the top, it tilts forward so that riders sit at a 30 degree angle towards the ground, before free falling nearly 400 feet at speeds of approximately 75mph.

The Orlando Free Fall sits adjacent to the Orlando Slingshot, which is the tallest slingshot ride in the world. Both attractions are owned and operated by the Slingshot Group of Companies, according to the ICON Park website.

The father of Tyre, Yarnell Sampson, told CNN that his teenage son was a “big guy” at six foot five inches tall and weighing 340 pounds (154kg).

The ride’s operations manual indicates that the maximum weight for passengers is 130 kilograms, or approximately 287 pounds.

A vigil was held for Tyre, who was a football player and honour roll student who had hoped to become a lawyer, and drew in a crowd of around 100 people.

The teen had been visiting Orlando’s tourist district from Missouri, officials said.

It is still unclear if anyone will face charges following his death and the Free Fall is currently closed while investigations are being carried out.