Worker killed in test ride on rollercoaster at Munich's Oktoberfest

A worker was killed during a test ride on a rollercoaster at Germany's Oktoberfest on Monday.

The fire brigade in the southern city of Munich, which hosts the world-famous festival every year, said a 20-year-old was hit by a wagon at full speed and left seriously injured under the rails.

The worker was treated at the Oktoberfest site in the Bavarian capital, it said.

Emergency services carried out resuscitation measures on the way to hospital, where the man died.

Final preparations before start of 2024 event

Final preparations are currently under way on the festival grounds, with the 189th Oktoberfest set to begin on Saturday.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident, a spokesman said, while employees are receiving support from a crisis intervention team.

It was initially unclear why the man was so close to the tracks that the train could hit him.

Shock among colleagues

A spokeswoman for the funfair operators, Yvonne Heckl, said she was in shock.

She described the incident as "news that pulls the ground out from under your feet – a drama for the family, the operator and everyone else involved."

She mentioned that fairground colleagues empathize with the relatives and those affected. "We are one big Wiesn family," said Heckl, using a local nickname for the Oktoberfest.

Peter Bausch, chairman of the Munich Funfair Operator Association, also reacted with dismay: "It is a tragic accident. That a young person has died is the most terrible thing."

High safety standards

Heckl also pointed to the meticulous preparations and high safety requirements at the Oktoberfest.

"In general, we have the highest safety standards, but there is no such thing as complete safety – we must not be deceived," said the spokeswoman for the funfair operators.

The rides are thoroughly checked before the start of the fair, regularly involving Germany's TÜV safety standards watchdog and certification authority.

Last year, on the first day of the festival, there was an accident on another rollercoaster, although it ended lightly. Some passengers sustained minor injuries when a moving train slowly rolled back into a stationary one.

In 2023, some 7.2 million guests attended the folk festival, which features beer tents and fun rides.