An 18-year-old passenger who was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage after the horse suddenly bolted in Central Park on Wednesday has died, police said.
The person was identified as Romanch Mahajan, an tourist visiting NYC from India, as per Fox News.
According to the Department, the incident occurred shortly before 3 pm (local time), while the teenager was riding in the carriage with three other passengers. As the horse ran off uncontrollably, at least two passengers were ejected from the moving carriage.
The teenager was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to their injuries. The remaining passengers declined medical treatment.
A spokesperson for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers and other industry workers, said the driver had stepped away from the carriage to take a photograph of the passengers, an action that is against industry rules.
According to Alexander Kemp, administrative vice president of the union’s local chapter, the horse had been working in Central Park for only six weeks. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
“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 mentioned in a statement.
What does the video show?
Video footage showed the horse racing through the park while two individuals appeared to leap from the moving four-wheeled carriage. Another video captured the carriage overturning after its wheels struck those of a different carriage on one of the park’s busy roadways.
The accident comes at a challenging time for Central Park’s horse-drawn carriage industry, which has operated for more than 150 years. Supporters view the carriage rides as a cherished New York tradition that offers visitors a nostalgic experience while supporting hundreds of jobs for drivers and those involved in horse farming and racing.
However, the industry is facing increasing pressure from critics who argue that the rides are cruel to horses and pose safety risks to both riders and the public, fueling calls for a ban.
Central Park spans nearly 850 acres and welcomes millions of visitors each year.
The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organisation responsible for managing the park, reiterated its support for banning horse-drawn carriages. Having endorsed such a ban last summer, the organisation said the consecutive incidents highlight the need to bring the industry to an end.
“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 ,” the group mentioned.
The incident on Wednesday occurred amid a series of recent horse-related incidents in Central Park, including the death of a horse that collapsed in the park just last week.
Previous horse-related incident
A horse named Deniz collapsed and died on June 9 while pulling a carriage carrying two passengers and a driver near East 90th Street in the park. Fortunately, none of the occupants of the carriage suffered serious injuries, as per ABC News.
According to a necropsy report released by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) on Tuesday, the horse had consumed a Japanese yew plant before its death. The ornamental plant, located along the curb, is highly toxic and potentially fatal to horses.
In response to renewed calls from the Central Park Conservancy and animal welfare advocates to prohibit horse-drawn carriage rides, the TWU defended the industry and opposed efforts to ban the carriages from the park.
