Teen killed, woman hurt in French theme park accident


LE CAP D'AGDE, France -- A 17-year-old died and a woman of 19 was hurt after falling from a ride at the Luna theme park in Cap d'Agde, southern France, authorities said Sunday.

"Two people were victims of an accident while using the Adrenaline attraction. An adolescent aged 17 died of his injuries and a young woman of 19 was taken to hospital at Montpellier as an absolute emergency (case)," local prosecutor Raphael Balland stated.

Balland said the victims were understood to have struck obstacles as they fell some 60 metres (180 feet) from the popular twister ride late Saturday.

He added four people, including the Luna Park manager, were being questioned with an investigation under way.

Luna Park was closed Sunday morning and the areas around the ride closed off by police, an AFP journalist reported.

Cap d'Adge mayor Gilles d'Ettore told AFP Saturday night had been very windy -- "very rare for Agde," indicating gusts could have caused the accident. He noted that there was no local by-law for halting the ride in the event of wind at the popular seaside resort on France's Mediterranean coast.