Photography courtesy of Schlitterbahn
It was announced yesterday that Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark's Verrückt, touted as the world's tallest water slide, will close permanently following a tragic accident.
Ten-year-old Caleb Schwab, the son of a Kansas state representative, died from what was initially reported as a fatal neck injury on August 7 after riding the 168-foot-tall slide. Once the investigation is complete, the slide, which opened in 2014, will be decommissioned and removed from the tower.
"In our opinion, it is the only proper course of action following this tragedy," Schlitterbahn said in a statement. "We will, at some point in the future, announce what will be built in its place. We continue to fully cooperate with the investigative teams and work with the families, their attorneys and our staff impacted by this accident."
When the slide was operating, riders on Verrückt—the German word for "insane"—were weighed and secured with Velcro straps inside a raft. Following a steep drop, the slide propelled riders up and down a second hill.
In a story for Outside magazine's website written by former SLM senior editor William Powell in August 2014, shortly after the water slide opened to the public, the water park's co-owner Jeff Henry said Verrückt's opening had been delayed after a series of failed tests required safer construction, though the final design had passed inspection.
