Amusement park cable snaps as ride is preparing for launch

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis., July 10 (UPI) -- A man shooting video as his son boarded a ride at a Wisconsin theme park joked, "the ropes are looking a little frayed," before one of the cables snapped.

Dru Larson, whose footage from the Wednesday incident at Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells was posted to YouTube, filmed son, Trevor, and a family friend, Carrie Sueker, being loaded into "The Catapult" ride and Larson's voice can be heard joking that "the ropes are looking a little frayed."

Larson's observation turns out to be apt, as one of the two cables attached to the car snaps just as the ride is preparing to commence.

"I couldn't believe that just happened. I had to collect myself," Larson told WKOW-TV. "What if it had been 30 inches closer to Trevor or what if they were shot up in the air? Things start going through your mind and most of them aren't good."

Mt. Olympus owner Nick Laskaris said the ride reopened Thursday with brand new cables.

"When I found out about the situation I told them I don't want that ride operating again until all new cables are put on the ride," Laskaris said.

He said the ride is owned by an independent contractor, Dick Clark's Ultimate Rush, and is about 20 years old.