Watch Two People Narrowly Escape Catapult Death at Amusement Park

Planning a fun trip to an amusement park this summer? Consider this: You might die. Or you might narrowly avoid death when a ride malfunctions, like the people in this video, who were almost shot into the air with only half their catapult working.

Here’s what happened to Carrie Sueker and Trevor Larson at Mt. Olympus Theme Park and Resort in Wisconsin, via Cosmopolitan:

After the ride began, one of the supports gave out, crashing to the ground with such force that it actually made a hole in the asphalt. The two didn’t realize just how serious things were until they were back on the ground, but onlookers were shocked. “Disbelief. Didn’t think that just actually happened. And then second thing was if they were OK,” said Larson’s father, Dru.

First, it is very unsettling to find out that any amusement park nightmare has actually come true. You always worry that a spring might snap or a coaster track might give out, and look—there it goes. Second, even if they weren’t launched into the air (which would have been catastrophic), both of these people are lucky that the cord didn’t hit them in the face or worse.

The Catapult is still operational, although Sueker and Larson are never going to attempt it again. They were reimbursed for their stay at the park, and were even offered another ride on ‘The Catapult” which they very wisely refused.