In a shocking turn of events, amusement park guests at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, were forced to make a treacherous descent down a 200-plus-foot roller coaster due to a mechanical issue. The incident unfolded on Monday, leaving visitors stranded on the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster and requiring them to evacuate by foot.

According to witnesses, the roller coaster, known for its towering height of 205 feet, suddenly came to a halt during its ascent. Tony Cafego, who was aboard the ride with his wife Laina, explained that everything seemed normal until they reached the top. "As it was going up, everything was normal until about the top, it just stopped," he recalled.

The park's spokesperson, Tony Clark, later revealed that the incident was a result of a "standard ride stoppage," which triggered the evacuation of guests. Clark emphasized that it was a precautionary measure and that the ride could not be immediately restarted.

For Laina Cafego, the evacuation proved to be a physically demanding task. She shared that her legs were still throbbing from the effort of walking down the lengthy stairs of the immense roller coaster. "My legs are sore from the walk down the stairs. It's because you truly are, really making sure that every step you're hitting it," she expressed to WTVG. "The hardest part was trying to get out of your seat because you are at such an angle."

Josh Lett, a witness to the evacuation, admitted that he had never seen anything quite like it before. The Magnum XL-200, lauded as the "Guinness Book of World Records holder for its leading edge height," according to Cedar Point's website, is known for its thrilling speed of 72 mph and a ride duration of two minutes and 45 seconds.

Although the incident left guests shaken, the amusement park assured the public that their safety is their utmost priority. Cedar Point's spokesperson stated that the mechanical issue was akin to a "check engine light" situation, necessitating the evacuation.

As visitors recover from this harrowing experience, questions linger about the maintenance and safety protocols surrounding the iconic roller coaster. Cedar Point has yet to release further details regarding the investigation into the mechanical issue, leaving thrill-seekers on edge as they contemplate future rides on the Magnum XL-200.