Cobra stalls between inversions at Walibi Belgium, riders evacuated
In August 2023, Cobra stalled on the cobra roll and 28 passengers had to be evacuated with help from the fire brigade. The incident stood out because similar Vekoma boomerang coasters at sister parks had also suffered problems that week.
More context
On 18 August 2023, Cobra drew renewed attention after a striking ride stoppage. Looopings reported that the train of the boomerang coaster came to a halt on the cobra roll: an emergency stop slowed it down enough for the first inversion to be completed, but not the second. The incident began at 16:35, and the fire brigade was called in to remove all 28 passengers from the train using an aerial platform. By around 17:50, the evacuation was complete. For visitors, it was a dramatic interruption of a ride that normally features a backwards lift, a free fall, three inversions and then the same route in reverse. For fans, the wider context was just as notable. Around the same time, Boomerang at Bellewaerde Park and Speed of Sound at Walibi Holland also suffered problems. All three parks belong to Compagnie des Alpes, and the rides involved are Vekoma boomerang coasters. That turned the incident into more than a local breakdown: it became part of a broader conversation about classic shuttle coasters and reliability.