12 freed after being stuck on Disney ride for an hour

Twelve people were rescued after being stuck on a roller coaster at Hong Kong Disneyland that malfunctioned and didn't move at all in the middle of a ride for about an hour yesterday.

Police were alerted about 3 pm that the ride in the Hyperspace Mountain section had come to a standstill due to an emergency stop.

According to photos circulated on social media, firefighters were seen entering the facility.

The theme park said the incident was caused by a delay in guests' boarding at the loading area, which prevented the train from departing as scheduled and triggered the control system to stop the attraction as a safety measure.

"One of the vehicles, carrying 12 passengers, was stopped in a position requiring firemen assistance based on established protocols. All passengers left the vehicle by themselves at approximately 4.15 pm."

The theme park also apologized to all guests affected.

"Safety is always a top priority. The attraction has been suspended immediately for comprehensive checking, and will resume operation upon completion of the checking," it said.

According to the park's website, the ride - located in Tomorrowland - is a reimagining of the classic Space Mountain attraction and brings guests through a Star Wars fighter jet battle.

"Due to routine maintenance and inspection, Hyperspace Mountain will be temporarily suspended from February 26 to March 1," it said.

Roller-coaster accidents have also happened elsewhere in recent months.

Twenty-eight visitors were injured in Happy Valley Shenzhen when a roller-coaster train with 22 riders on its way up suddenly slipped along the track and hit another train, whose passengers were getting off the platform on October 27.

Some of the victims were unconscious when rushed to hospitals, and one was admitted to the intensive care unit.

On December 14, 32 riders were trapped at the highest point of the Jurassic Park-themed Flying Dinosaur attraction in Universal Studios Japan, 40 meters up.

Passengers were guided to safety through an emergency staircase.