"139m Drop from the Sky"…World's Tallest Roller Coaster 'Kingda Ka' Dismantled

Introduced in 2005... Operations Halted After 20 Years
"New Ride to Be Introduced with a $1 Billion Investment"

'Kingda Ka,' the world's tallest roller coaster located in an amusement park in New Jersey, USA, has been dismantled after 20 years, disappearing into history.

According to NBC and others on the 6th (local time), Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA, dismantled its signature ride, Kingda Ka, on the 28th of last month.

The roller coaster "Kingda Ka," the signature ride at Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA, is being dismantled. Photo captured from social media (SNS).

Kingda Ka was installed in this amusement park 20 years ago in 2005. At that time, this roller coaster gained fame as the tallest roller coaster in the world. Kingda Ka's highest point reached 139 meters. This ride was characterized by ascending almost vertically at an angle close to 90 degrees, then making a half rotation at the peak before dropping straight down. Its top speed reached 206 km/h, holding the record as the fastest roller coaster in the world. However, this record was taken by the 'Formula Rossa' roller coaster in the United Arab Emirates, which opened in 2010 and reaches speeds of 240 km/h.

Earlier, the amusement park announced the dismantling of Kingda Ka in November last year. The empty space left by Kingda Ka will be replaced by a new ride. The construction of the new ride will involve an investment of 1 billion dollars (approximately 1.44 trillion won) and is planned to be completed by 2026. Although specific details such as speed and height of the new ride have not been disclosed, it is reported that a roller coaster as fast and tall as Kingda Ka will be installed.

Meanwhile, before the dismantling of the ride, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, the local authority, sent a warning notice to residents stating, "There will be consecutive explosions in Jackson Township," advising, "Do not be alarmed, but keep pets sensitive to sound indoors and evacuate those who are sensitive to loud noises."

Videos capturing the dismantling process have been uploaded on social media platforms, garnering high view counts. The footage shows Kingda Ka, as tall as a 45-story building, collapsing instantly. The amusement park stated in a press release, "Saying goodbye to a ride that has been loved for a long time is difficult, but change was necessary for a new beginning," adding, "The new roller coaster succeeding Kingda Ka will once again rewrite the history of roller coasters."