Caleb Thomas
Schwab, son of a state lawmaker, died on Aug. 7 at the
Schlitterbahn waterpark on the Verruckt water slide, which sends
riders plunging down 17 storeys at up to 50 miles an hour (80
kph).
The 168 feet (51.4 meter) slide will be decommissioned, closed
permanently and removed after the ongoing investigation is
complete, park officials said in a statement on Tuesday.
"In our opinion, it is the only proper course of action
following this tragedy," they said.
Schwab was riding on a raft with two women who suffered minor
injuries when the incident occurred, police said.
The ride is taller than the Statue of Liberty from torch to the
top of its pedestal. The ride's name means "insane" in German.
The park will wait until a court gives it the approval to remove
the water slide, it said.
"We will, at some point in the future, announce what will be
built in its place," park officials said.
(Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee Editing by
Jeremy Gaunt)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](column_spacer.png)
|
|