An 18-year-old man has died after he was thrown from a horse carriage that collapsed in New York City’s Central Park on Wednesday. The victim and his family were tourists visiting from India when the tragic incident occurred.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to CBS News, the man and his family were riding in the carriage when the horse got spooked and took off. Some passengers reportedly jumped out of the carriage and were not injured. Video footage of the incident shows the horse attached to the carriage bolting, with a man who appeared to be the driver running after it.
TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp said it appeared that the driver had stepped out of the carriage to take photos of the passengers and was only an arm’s length away from the horse when it spooked. Kemp confirmed that drivers are not supposed to leave their carriages to take photos.
The Carriage Overturned After Clipping Another Carriage
The runaway carriage reportedly clipped the wheel of another carriage before overturning. The 18-year-old was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. He died a few hours later.
TWU Local 100, the union representing horse carriage drivers, confirmed that the driver has been suspended indefinitely following the incident. The union also announced plans to retire the horse involved in the accident.
Central Park Conservancy Calls for a Ban on Horse Carriage Rides
In a statement following the young man’s death, the Central Park Conservancy made its position clear, calling on the city to ban horse carriage rides from the park entirely.
“This is the tragedy we feared when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health. A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. 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,” the statement read.