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| Manufacturer | Intamin | ||||||||||||
| Product | Mega Splash | ||||||||||||
| Capacity | 24 riders per boat | ||||||||||||
| Height | 36.9 metres | ||||||||||||
| Speed | 80 km/h | ||||||||||||
Drenched was a Shoot The Chute ride previously located at Oakwood Theme Park in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK. The ride opened in 2002 and was a Mega Splash installation from Intamin.
History
The attraction, originally called Hydro, opened to the public in 2002.[2] In 2011, the name was changed to Drenched.[3] Drenched was one of three Mega Splash installations from Intamin and was the only Mega Splash left at the time of closure.
In February 2025, an image was posted online showing three cranes being used to dismantle the ride. The park later confirmed that the ride was being retired.[4][5]
Design
The ride was 36.9 metres tall and had a drop at an angle of 85 degrees. The car reached a maximum speed of 80 km/h.[2] It had a single car which seats 24 riders, held in by over-the-shoulder harnesses.
Incident
On 15 April 2004, 16-year-old Hayley Williams died after falling 100 feet from the attraction. A 10-year-old boy was hit by Williams as she fell and was subsequently hospitalized with head injuries.[6] Hydro remained closed for the rest of the 2004 season while an investigation was carried out. Prior to its reopening in 2005, the original lap-bars and seatbelts were replaced with over-the-shoulder harnesses.[7] Another Intamin Shoot-the-Chutes ride, Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm in California had already had its restraints modified after a woman fell to her death from the attraction in September 2001.[8]
An investigation into the incident found that Williams was not properly restrained. CCTV footage also revealed that restraints were regularly not checked by the ride operators. In December 2008, the park was fined £250,000 and forced to pay an additional £80,000 in costs.[9]
Images
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One of the current ride vehicles
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References
- ↑ "Major Investment Announced at Oakwood". Joyland Books.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Big splash for Pembrokeshire!". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
- ↑ "Change of name for Oakwood's Hydro". CoasterForce.
- ↑ TPI (2025-02-05). "Is Drenched Leaving Oakwood Theme Park?". Theme Park Insanity. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ↑ Davies, Ruth (2025-02-07). "Oakwood Theme Park demolishes ride at centre of tragedy". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ↑ "Theme Park Tragedy". The Guardian.
- ↑ "Re-opened death ride 'is safe'". BBC News.
- ↑ "Makers to inspect fall-death ride". BBC News.
- ↑ "£250k fine after theme park death". BBC News.
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