An 18-year-old has died after a horse-drawn carriage horse bolted through New York City’s Central Park, throwing passengers from the carriage. The tragic accident has renewed calls to ban the park’s controversial carriage industry.
A carriege ride through one of New York’s most famous landmarks ended in tragedy on Wednesday when a horse-drawn carriage horse suddenly bolted off.
An 18-year-old passenger was critically injured in the accident and later died, according to police.
Horse bolted through Central Park
The teenager was riding in the carriage with three other passengers shortly before 3 p.m. when the horse ran off without its driver, the New York Police Department said.
According to a representative for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage industry employees, the driver had stepped away from the carriage to take a photograph of the passengers. Drivers are not supposed to leave their horses unattended.
At least two people were thrown from the moving carriage as it sped through the park. The teenager was rushed to hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
Videos shared online appear to show the horse sprinting through Central Park while people jump from the carriage in an attempt to escape. Another clip shows the carriage overturning after colliding with another horse-drawn carriage on the park’s busy loop road.
The horse involved in the incident had reportedly been working in Central Park for only six weeks.
Union calls for investigation
Alexander Kemp, administrative vice president of the union’s local chapter, said he wants a full investigation into what happened.
“Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed to be made with respect to all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages,” he said in a statement.
The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation.
Tragedy reignites carriage debate
The fatal accident comes at a difficult time for New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry.
For more than 150 years, horse-drawn carriages have been a familiar sight in Central Park, attracting tourists looking for a traditional New York experience. Critics, however, have long argued that the practice is dangerous for both horses and people.
The latest tragedy follows several recent incidents involving carriage horses, including the collapse and death of a horse in the park just last week.
Following Wednesday’s accident, the Central Park Conservancy renewed its call for the industry to be banned.
“A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life,” the organization said in a statement.
“That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America.”
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