State to Probe Mishap on Pirates of Caribbean Ride

State investigators plan a full investigation into an incident on Pirates of the Caribbean in which a woman slipped and hit her head while exiting the Disneyland ride.

The state allowed Disneyland to reopen the ride Wednesday afternoon because the accident was not related to mechanical issues but to how the ride is operated.

The accident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday when the boat stopped just short of the dock area. Park guests had started to exit when the boat lurched forward, state and Disneyland officials said.

Melanie Hershock, 33, of Foothill Ranch slipped and hit her head on one of the boat seats. She was treated for a concussion and neck strain at Western Medical Center-Anaheim and released.

Hershock said she started getting out of the boat because park employees told the occupants to disembark. Several other guests on the same boat had already exited when the boat began moving again, she said.

Investigators from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which oversees amusement parks, plan to look at training and operational issues.

“From what we have determined so far, it appears to be an operator issue with stopping boats prior to [their] proper stopping place,” agency spokesman Dean Fryer said. “We’ve asked Disneyland to review their training issues, and they are going over everything with employees.”

Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez said the park is cooperating fully with the state investigation and is already reviewing its operating procedures. The ride first opened in 1967.