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Dreamworld remains closed after four people killed on Gold Coast water raft ride Dreamworld remains closed after four people killed on Gold Coast water raft ride
(35 minutes later)
The Dreamworld theme park will remain closed on Wednesday while police examine how four people were killed when a 30-year-old water raft ride malfunctioned on Queensland’s Gold Coast.The Dreamworld theme park will remain closed on Wednesday while police examine how four people were killed when a 30-year-old water raft ride malfunctioned on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Siblings Kate Goodchild, 32, and Luke Dorsett, 35, and his partner Roozi Araghi died in the accident on Tuesday afternoon, along with an unnamed woman in her early 40s.Siblings Kate Goodchild, 32, and Luke Dorsett, 35, and his partner Roozi Araghi died in the accident on Tuesday afternoon, along with an unnamed woman in her early 40s.
The three and another woman were victims of a conveyor belt malfunction at the Gold Coast park when their raft flipped on the Thunder River Rapids ride on Tuesday afternoon.The three and another woman were victims of a conveyor belt malfunction at the Gold Coast park when their raft flipped on the Thunder River Rapids ride on Tuesday afternoon.
Two were thrown clear of the ride while the other two were stuck in the ride itself. Two were thrown clear of the ride while the other two were stuck in the ride itself. Queensland premier, Annstacia Palaszczuk, confirmed on Wednesday that two children who had been on the ride were in hospital.
The mother of Dorsett and Goodchild has told the Courier-Mail the accident has devastated her family.The mother of Dorsett and Goodchild has told the Courier-Mail the accident has devastated her family.
“I have three children and have lost two of them today – my whole family has been wiped out,” Kim Dorsett told the Courier-Mail on Tuesday.“I have three children and have lost two of them today – my whole family has been wiped out,” Kim Dorsett told the Courier-Mail on Tuesday.
“I have two granddaughters – an eight-month-old and a 12-year-old – and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum.”“I have two granddaughters – an eight-month-old and a 12-year-old – and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum.”
Dorsett said the oldest girl was blaming herself.
“She has had a truly terrible day, she is going through unimaginable pain at the moment,” Dorsett said. “I’m at a loss as to how to deal with this now – I woke up this morning with three children and tomorrow I am only going to have one left.”
Canberra-based Dorsett and her family were holidaying on the Gold Coast and had extended their stay by a few days.Canberra-based Dorsett and her family were holidaying on the Gold Coast and had extended their stay by a few days.
Dreamworld visitors described the chaos after the accident at 2.20pm. Palaszczuk could not confirm the ages of the children on the ride, but said both were now in the Gold Coast University Hospital.“Our focus at the moment is on the two young children that were on that ride,” she told Channel Nine.“We need to make sure that they are getting the care and the counselling that they need.”
Gold Coast residents Lia Capes and Claire Wooley had been about to line up for the Thunder River Rapids when distressed people came rushing out, including a man whose leg was covered in dirt with his clothes scuffed, and a young girl, apparently his daughter, “screaming for her mum”.Gold Coast residents Lia Capes and Claire Wooley had been about to line up for the Thunder River Rapids when distressed people came rushing out, including a man whose leg was covered in dirt with his clothes scuffed, and a young girl, apparently his daughter, “screaming for her mum”.
“After work we decided to come here for a bit of fun and had only been here for an hour or so before it happened,” Capes said.“After work we decided to come here for a bit of fun and had only been here for an hour or so before it happened,” Capes said.
“We were walking towards the ride because we’d decided we wanted to go on it. As soon as we walked towards the line we saw people running out – the lady’s husband running with dirt all down his leg. His daughter was crying so we just tried to comfort her.“We were walking towards the ride because we’d decided we wanted to go on it. As soon as we walked towards the line we saw people running out – the lady’s husband running with dirt all down his leg. His daughter was crying so we just tried to comfort her.
“Then the [Dreamworld staff] took her and her little infant sister away.”“Then the [Dreamworld staff] took her and her little infant sister away.”
Wooley estimated the girl was about six years old: “She told us that it was her family involved, she was screaming for her mum and he [the girl’s father] was just in panic, trying to ring everyone and running back and forth … I assume he was one of the people who had been on the ride. He had scuffs and was covered in dirt like he had fallen.Wooley estimated the girl was about six years old: “She told us that it was her family involved, she was screaming for her mum and he [the girl’s father] was just in panic, trying to ring everyone and running back and forth … I assume he was one of the people who had been on the ride. He had scuffs and was covered in dirt like he had fallen.
“She confirmed to us that she was on the ride but I don’t think she was in the raft that had tipped over.”“She confirmed to us that she was on the ride but I don’t think she was in the raft that had tipped over.”
A former Dreamworld employee who has worked at the park for more than a decade told how the four who died had been just five seconds from safety when the accident happened. He said the six-seater craft had nearly finished the ride when it hit an empty raft ahead and flipped.
He told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “If you ever saw a doughnut being made at Donut King, they have a conveyor belt at the end that the doughnuts go up to dry off. It’s exactly the same thing ... it just takes them from the water in the bottom to the uploading point at the end.”
Several parkgoers claimed the ride had broken down at least twice earlier in the day and police said those claims would form part of the investigation.Several parkgoers claimed the ride had broken down at least twice earlier in the day and police said those claims would form part of the investigation.
The ride is known as one of the more family friendly ones, allowing on children as young as two. The circular rafts, which look like six chairs mounted on a giant inner tube, are sent around a 410-metre course. At the end of the ride the rafts are lifted out of the water on an incline by a conveyer belt.The ride is known as one of the more family friendly ones, allowing on children as young as two. The circular rafts, which look like six chairs mounted on a giant inner tube, are sent around a 410-metre course. At the end of the ride the rafts are lifted out of the water on an incline by a conveyer belt.
The deaths had an immediate financial impact on the park’s owners Ardent Leisure, as its shares fell 7.8% on news of the tragedy.The deaths had an immediate financial impact on the park’s owners Ardent Leisure, as its shares fell 7.8% on news of the tragedy.
Queensland Ambulance senior operating officer Gavin Fuller said on Tuesday the victims suffered fatal injuries and couldn’t be revived despite several crews attending the scene.Queensland Ambulance senior operating officer Gavin Fuller said on Tuesday the victims suffered fatal injuries and couldn’t be revived despite several crews attending the scene.
“One of the rides sustained some sort of malfunction causing two people to be ejected from the ride. Another two were caught inside the ride,” he said.“One of the rides sustained some sort of malfunction causing two people to be ejected from the ride. Another two were caught inside the ride,” he said.
Lisa Walker, a New Zealander visiting from New Guinea where she works as a police officer said she had been on the Thunder River Rapids ride only 10 or 15 minutes before the accident. She went back to the area after hearing commotion and sirens. She said: “We were around the area afterwards and saw people coming out very distressed. We saw a lady and a man run back who must have had family in there.” She said she also saw a young girl in distress being comforted by police.
Walker said: “It is one of the most tame rides here and certainly one for the families.”
Thousands of patrons left the park in shock following the tragedy.Thousands of patrons left the park in shock following the tragedy.
A coronial investigation into the cause of the accident and the deaths is under way, with workplace health and safety officers and police forensic crash investigators also involved.A coronial investigation into the cause of the accident and the deaths is under way, with workplace health and safety officers and police forensic crash investigators also involved.
It is Australia’s worst theme park disaster since 1979, when seven people were killed in a fire on the ghost train at Sydney’s Luna Park.It is Australia’s worst theme park disaster since 1979, when seven people were killed in a fire on the ghost train at Sydney’s Luna Park.
The Gold Coast mayor, Tom Tate, said more counsellors and support staff would be sent to help staff and others deal with the aftermath of the fatal Dreamworld accident.The Gold Coast mayor, Tom Tate, said more counsellors and support staff would be sent to help staff and others deal with the aftermath of the fatal Dreamworld accident.
“I mean, they’re used to giving fun and joy to people and all of a sudden, the memories this memory will leave behind is the most horrific,” Tate told Nine on Wednesday. “We’re going to have to help the family of Dreamworld.”“I mean, they’re used to giving fun and joy to people and all of a sudden, the memories this memory will leave behind is the most horrific,” Tate told Nine on Wednesday. “We’re going to have to help the family of Dreamworld.”
Tate said the accident hit a lot of locals and Australians hard.Tate said the accident hit a lot of locals and Australians hard.
“Australians one way or another have connections to this ride, this theme park and the Gold Coast and everyone, the community is feeling it.”“Australians one way or another have connections to this ride, this theme park and the Gold Coast and everyone, the community is feeling it.”
But he said Dreamworld was important to the Gold Coast and the council would do what it could to help it recover.
“It’s very important for us ... [to] help support the theme parks and get them back to the point where people have the confidence to come and live and have their wonderful memories again.”
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, expressed her shock at the accident, telling ABC: “Our thoughts and prayers are, of course, with the families of those who have lost loved ones, on what should have been a wonderful family day out.
“I’m absolutely determined to make sure that we get the necessary counselling to those who visited the park ... My own family went there earlier this year, and we actually went on the exact same ride. This is a ride that thousands and thousands of families have been on and, you know, to have this happen, we’ve got to get to the bottom of it because, you know, we do not want anything to jeopardise, you know, the Gold Coast, as what world-class tourist destination.”
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, released a statement saying he was saddened to hear of the accident. “This is a very, very, sad, tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.”The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, released a statement saying he was saddened to hear of the accident. “This is a very, very, sad, tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.”
The Thunder River Rapids Ride is currently Australia’s only river rapids ride and opened in December 1986. Dreamworld’s Rocky Hollow Log Ride was shut down in April this year when a man fell from the ride and nearly drowned.
Additional reporting by Warren Murray, Calla Wahlquist and Australian Associated PressAdditional reporting by Warren Murray, Calla Wahlquist and Australian Associated Press