A 10-year-old schoolgirl died after she was thrown from a high-speed spinning amusement ride in front of horrified family members.

Witnesses described a distressing scene as the girl lay motionless on the ground after being "ejected" from a ride called Xtreme at a local fair.

Family members were distraught as they waited for help and the girl was airlifted to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time after arriving.

The ride was shut down after the incident and amid an ongoing investigation, but the community festival continued with a partial schedule despite the tragedy and outrage amongst parents.

The incident happened at the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival in Rosenhayn, New Jersey, on Saturday evening.

Witnesses told local media that it appeared the girl was thrown or "ejected" from the ride and her family members were distraught at the scene.

Witness Jessica Estrada Plasencia told 6 ABC: "I have a seven-year-old and just seeing the little girl, it's so heartbreaking.

"You would think your kids would be safe. I know you ride at your own risk, but they are there to make sure your kids are secure, to make sure kids aren't going to fall off a ride."

Allison McChesney, another witness, told CBS Philly: “It was just everyone running when I walked up to it. It was something you would never want to see."

The Wisdom Super Sizzler ride hovers a few feet off the ground and has rotating arms with cars that spin passengers in a horizontal circle at high speeds.

The one involved in Saturday's tragedy had passed a recent inspection by state authorities, it was reported.

An industry analyst told CBS Philly at least 13 people have been killed or seriously injured on that type of ride in the US since 2000.

Ken Martin said people have been thrown off that type of ride in the past and claimed it "goes too fast" and there have been "problems with lap bars".

He added: “I myself wouldn’t feel comfortable putting the kids on those rides."

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