8 Students Stranded 100 Feet Up on Galveston Roller Coaster for Hours: Everyone Got Home Safe

Eight students are home safe this morning after one of the most frightening field trip moments imaginable - suspended nearly 100 feet in the air on a stalled roller coaster for over three hours while a rescue crew worked to bring them down, one by one.

What happened: The Iron Shark roller coaster at Galveston's Pleasure Pier malfunctioned and came to a stop on the ascent Thursday evening, leaving eight riders near the top of the ride, facing straight up. The ride first became stuck around 5:30 p.m.

Who was on it: Houston ISD confirmed the eight riders were students participating in a field trip organized by Energized for STEM Academy Middle School and STEM Academy High School. Other students at the pier said they were on a senior trip.

The rescue: Pleasure Pier officials called the Galveston Fire Department, and a rescue crew brought out a ladder truck. One by one, carefully and meticulously, each student was removed from the ride and brought down the ladder to safety. The rescue process involved getting each rider into a safety harness before bringing them down the tower truck. Rescue crews were talking and directing the riders the entire time. The full operation took over three and a half hours. First Coast 

The fire chief's words: Galveston Fire Chief Mike Varela had high praise for his six-member rescue crew. "Those guys were top notch today - on point and got all eight down," he said. "I can't say enough about them. They're well trained and they're ready to go when called on."

What the pier said: Terry Turney, chief operating officer of Pleasure Pier, stated: "The ride experienced a malfunction at its initial ascent, however, as designed, it immediately stopped to keep everyone safe. A thorough inspection of the ride will take place before it is placed back in service."

From the school: Houston ISD released a statement that read in part: "We are grateful that all students, staff, and chaperones are safe. School administration is in direct contact with the families of all students who were on the trip."

Eight kids went on a field trip and came home shaken but safe. For those families waiting Thursday night with no updates, that phone call - "everyone is okay" - was the only answer that mattered. Grateful for the first responders who trained for exactly this moment and showed up when it counted.

Watch full coverage here: 8 riders rescued after Iron Shark roller coaster gets stuck in Galveston