Disney Reopens 'Mission: SPACE' Ride After Woman's Death
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) - Anautopsy was planned Friday for a 49-year-old German woman who became ill on aride at Walt Disney World.
Thetheme park reopened its "Mission: Space'' attraction on Thursday, a day afterGerman visitor Hiltrud Bleumel died at a hospital, after inspectors found nomechanical problems with the ride.
It was the second death inless than a year related to the Epcot Center ride, which spins riders in acentrifuge that subjects them to twice the normal force of gravity. It isconsidered so intense it has motion sickness bags and signs warning people withheart, back and neck problems not to board it.
The woman had reporteddizziness and nausea after stepping off the ride on Tuesday, Disney reported tostate officials. Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said that the woman's family didnot want any information about her released.
Disney had told stateofficials that the woman may have had high blood pressure and other unspecifiedhealth problems.
"Walt Disney Worldengineers and ride system experts completed a thorough inspection of theattraction overnight and found it to be operating properly,'' the theme parksaid Thursday in announcing the reopening of the ride.
A worker from the stateBureau of Fair Rides Inspection monitored the testing and said the ride did notappear ''to be acting abnormal in any way,'' said Terence McElroy, a spokesmanfor Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which overseesthe bureau.
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An incident report on thedeath may not be available for months, McElroy said.
The $100 million (euro83million) ride, one of Disney World's most popular, was also closed in Juneafter the death of a 4-year-old boy who passed out while aboard. An autopsyconcluded he died of a heart condition that a medical examiner said can causesudden death in stressful situations.
Publishedunder license from FLORIDATODAY. Copyright ? 2006 FLORIDA TODAY. No portion of this material may bereproduced in any way without the written consent of FLORIDA TODAY.
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