The Stockholm District Court fined Gröna Lund about $590,000 after its Jetline roller coaster partially derailed on June 25, 2023, killing one person and injuring nine. The court found negligent handling of the order and manufacture of a support arm — including inadequate welding competence and missing design documents — to be the direct cause. Göteborgs Mekaniska was also fined and has since declared bankruptcy. Gröna Lund says it accepts responsibility, has made safety changes, and will review the judgment.
Gröna Lund Fined $590K After 2023 Jetline Derailment That Killed One
Jetline rollercoaster at Grona Lund amusement park in Stockholm, SwedenSTEFAN JERREVANG/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty
The Stockholm District Court has ordered Stockholm's Gröna Lund amusement park to pay a criminal fine of approximately $590,000 (SEK 5,200,000) for negligence in connection with a partial derailment of the park's Jetline roller coaster on June 25, 2023. The accident left one person dead and nine others injured.
Visitors riding the Jetline rollercoaster at the Grona Lund amusement park in Stockholm, SwedenCLAUDIO BRESCIANI/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty
Court Findings
The court concluded that the direct cause of the accident was “deficiencies in the companies' handling of the order and manufacture of a support arm,” a component described as critical for the safe operation of the roller coaster. The ruling found that Gröna Lund failed to ensure the replacement parts would be produced by a welder with sufficient competence and did not supply adequate drawing documents when ordering the support arms.
Jetline rollercoaster at Grona LundMARKO SAAVALA/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty
Göteborgs Mekaniska, the manufacturer that produced the parts, was also found negligent for accepting work it lacked the competence to perform; the court said the company’s welding was performed improperly and those defects caused the accident. Göteborgs Mekaniska was fined about $147,000 (SEK 1,300,000) and has since declared bankruptcy.
Police arrive at the scene at Grona Lund on June 25, 2023CLAUDIO BRESCIANI/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty
What Happened
On June 25, 2023, 14 guests were aboard the Jetline when the coaster partially derailed and came to rest on the track roughly 20 to 25 feet above ground. Police and witnesses reported that several riders fell from the cars; one person died and nine were injured, three of them seriously. The park was evacuated and temporarily closed while authorities investigated.
Park Response and Next Steps
Gröna Lund’s CEO, Jan Eriksson, said the park feels a “deep sense of responsibility” and emphasized that safety is always the park’s top priority. In a statement to PEOPLE, Eriksson said the park has implemented several safety changes since the accident and that the incident was investigated by both Gröna Lund and the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority.
“It was a very tragic accident, and no one should ever have to go through something like this,” Eriksson said. “Regardless of the legal proceedings, we feel a deep sense of responsibility for what happened and for what everybody involved in the accident has gone through.”
PEOPLE reported that the park will review the District Court’s judgment in detail. The court ruling focuses on failures in the order and manufacture of essential structural components and on the competence of those who carried out the welding work.
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