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NEWS
Child killed in accident on world's tallest waterslide
POSTED 08 Aug 2016 . BY Tom Anstey
Caleb Thomas Schwab died while riding the record-breaking Verrückt Credit: Press Association
A boy has died after an accident on the world’s tallest waterslide at Schlitterbahn waterpark in Kansas on 7 August.

The boy, identified as Caleb Thomas Schwab – son of state representative Scott Schwab and his wife Michele – died while riding the record-breaking Verrückt, which requires two-to-three riders to be strapped in a raft with a total weight between 400 and 500 pounds.

The waterpark has released no further details surrounding the circumstances of the boy’s death, which is being investigated by Kansas state police. The waterpark has been closed for the investigation and the ride has been closed indefinitely.

Schlitterbahn first opened the ride in July 2014, which is not only the world’s tallest waterslide, but also the fastest.

Verrückt – the German word for insane – features a three-second freefall reaching speeds of around 50mph (80kph) before being launched upwards into a ‘weightless’ situation and then plummeting down once again to finish up in a splash pool. The 168ft (51.2m) slide’s opening was delayed several times, with technical glitches costing around US$1m (€734,000 £584,000) to fix.
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NEWS
Child killed in accident on world's tallest waterslide
POSTED 08 Aug 2016 . BY Tom Anstey
Caleb Thomas Schwab died while riding the record-breaking Verrückt Credit: Press Association
A boy has died after an accident on the world’s tallest waterslide at Schlitterbahn waterpark in Kansas on 7 August.

The boy, identified as Caleb Thomas Schwab – son of state representative Scott Schwab and his wife Michele – died while riding the record-breaking Verrückt, which requires two-to-three riders to be strapped in a raft with a total weight between 400 and 500 pounds.

The waterpark has released no further details surrounding the circumstances of the boy’s death, which is being investigated by Kansas state police. The waterpark has been closed for the investigation and the ride has been closed indefinitely.

Schlitterbahn first opened the ride in July 2014, which is not only the world’s tallest waterslide, but also the fastest.

Verrückt – the German word for insane – features a three-second freefall reaching speeds of around 50mph (80kph) before being launched upwards into a ‘weightless’ situation and then plummeting down once again to finish up in a splash pool. The 168ft (51.2m) slide’s opening was delayed several times, with technical glitches costing around US$1m (€734,000 £584,000) to fix.
RELATED STORIES
World's fastest and tallest water slide opens in the US


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Global Project & Spa Advisory

The company was launched in 2012 by CEO Patrick Saussay and Christopher Ryan. [more...]
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+ More directory  
DIARY

 

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ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

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Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS