Karin Elmegard details 'horrifying' fall from rollercoaster as Gröna Lund trial begins

Karin Elmegard, a woman in her 30s, suffered severe injuries at Gröna Lund theme park in Stockholm, Sweden, when a support arm on the Jetline rollercoaster broke, forcing the train to come to a sudden stop and partially derail.

The CCTV footage of the nightmare moment shows children and families running in panic after the accident, and people looking up in fright and running away as Karin Elmegard plunged to the ground.

Karin and her husband, Mikael Elmegard, fell from the last car, with Mikael managing to hold onto a beam.

The trial against Gröna Lund theme park and two other companies started last Monday, with CCTV footage of Karin slipping displayed in court.

Mikael described the accident as “horrifying,” witnessing his wife, Karin, fall from the car at a significant height.

“When I saw her lying on the ground, her face covered in blood, I didn’t know if she had survived,” he told local media.

Karin still struggles with basic everyday tasks following the June 25, 2023, accident, despite undergoing surgery.

She commented on the difficult footage, adding, “What’s even harder is seeing my beloved being lifted down from that beam, sitting there all alone, not knowing where I had gone.”

Moments before falling 20 ft, Karin saw an object fall from one of the cars, activating a wave of panic.

Karin told local media, ‘I remember falling towards the grass, with it rushing up at me at a terrifying speed.’ She believes landing on the grass saved her life, adding, ‘I don’t think I would have survived if I had fallen onto something harder, like the tracks.’

NeedToKnow reported that following the fall, Karin endured a physically painful and mentally exhausting hospital stay.

Prosecutors are seeking a total corporate fine of 18 million SEK (£1.45m) against Gröna Lund, alleging the amusement park deviated from safety requirements for ride components.

All three companies involved deny any wrongdoing. Gröna Lund has so far refused to pay compensation to the victims.

A representative, Mikael, stated, “We’re glad this trial is finally underway so we can settle the question of responsibility once and for all. We feel it’s important that someone is held accountable. This should never be allowed to happen.”