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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021. Following a four year investigation, Ardent Leisure which owns Australia's biggest theme park, was fined $3.6 million (2 million) over the horrific deaths. [29], On 21 July 2020, it was announced that three charges had been laid against Ardent Leisure, Dreamworld's parent company. The Thunder River Rapids ride has been a cornerstone of Dreamworlds attraction over its 30-plus-year history. Dreamworld visitor Lisa Walker said the Thunder River Rapids ride had broken down earlier in the day. Advertisement. "If more regulatory action is needed, we will act swiftly," says Grace. She stumbled when asked whether she had contacted victim's families, saying she "didn't know how to get in touch with them". Canberra coach Ricky Stuart slams NRL, RLPA following further concussion controversy, Mr Green and Mr Clark are both taking legal action against Dreamworld, when two rafts containing visitors collided on the ride's conveyor belt, Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids ride triple-0 call revealed to inquest, Dreamworld inquest hears there was a 'total failure of everybody' to ensure ride's safety, Dreamworld inquest to probe earlier 'almost identical' incident of raft flipping, Dreamworld tragedy inquest: What we've heard so far, Dreamworld deaths could have been prevented 'by pressing button', Dreamworld ride operator felt 'pressured' not to talk to police after tragedy: inquiry, Theme park's electrical supervisor offers sympathies to victims' families, 'One patient turning blue': Details of triple-0 call heard at Dreamworld inquest, 'Total failure of everybody' to ensure Dreamworld rapids ride's safety, maintenance boss says, 'How dare they': Possum Magic author hits out at 'ridiculous' Roald Dahl edits, 'Dastardly and heinous crime': Philippines governor killed at home by unknown gunmen, Vanuatu hit by two cyclones and twin earthquakes in two days, Emily was studying law when she had to go to court. It would be cold comfort to the families of Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett, Roozi Araghi and Cindy Low, who lost their lives on arguably the tamest ride at the theme park. Queensland Coroner James McDougall's 274-page report laid bare systemic failures and a blind eye to safety from the top down at the company which ran Australia's largest theme park. Mar 29, 2009. The court found Ardent had failed in its duty of care and should have taken steps to make the ride safer. Wide gaps on the wooden slats meant some passengers were thrown into the internal conveyor mechanism. The four people killed on a ride at the Dreamworld theme park in 2016 died almost instantly, a preliminary hearing for the inquest has been told. [15] However, the reopening to the public was subject to discussions with Queensland police as the ride was being treated as a crime scene. They also appointed a former Qantas safety executive Geoff Sartori, as safety adviser to the Ardent Leisure board. "Our clients, however, saw exactly what happened to the four bodies and they have to live with those images for the rest of their lives.". Dreamworld's usually such a lovely park, but sadly not for everyone this week. Dreamworld's usually such a lovely park, but sadly not for everyone this week. Following the disaster, Dreamworld shut down for six weeks and demolished the ride. Park operators stopped the ride and started draining the river, over 7 paramedic crews responded to the 000 call along with firefighters and police. Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure was fined a record A$3.6 million last September after pleading guilty to breaching workplace health and safety laws over the Thunder River Rapids ride tragedy. "They would describe scenarios that were possible on the ride you know, pump stops and what you do, a guest falls in and what you do, a raft comes back and there's one less person, what you do," he said. She said the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor would have 12 months to decide what action would be taken against the owners of Dreamworld. Four people were killed while riding the Thunder River Rapids at Dreamworld in 2016. Tributes to the victims outside Dreamworld. Join 1.7 Million Subscribers Weiss vowed to implement the changes recommended by the coroner as well as the tough new rules introduced by the Palaszczuk government following the accident. Record keeping by Ardent Leisure was described as "dire", "sparse" and "haphazard". Naumann had earlier said he believed some maintenance operations may have been deferred for budgetary reasons. The operator of Australia's Dreamworld theme park has been charged with safety breaches over a water ride malfunction that killed four people in 2016. It was later found that a water level sensor that could have prevented the accident would have cost less than $3,000. The design and construction of Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride posed a "significant risk" to patrons' safety and the park's systems were "frighteningly unsophisticated", a coroner has found. The Thunder River Rapids Ride is Australias only river rapids ride and opened in December 1986. Kate Goodchild was one of the four to die on the ride, Roozbeh Araghi died at the theme park on October 25 2016, Luke Dorsett fell from the raft to his death, The ride was shut down after the fatal incident, A makeshift floral tribute was created outside Dreamworld. WebThe Thunder River Rapids Ride was a river rapid type water ride located in the Town of Gold Rush section of the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Thunder River Rapids had already broken down twice. But like many other safety checks on the 30-year-old ride, staff did their best to open the ride again as quickly as possible. Mr Green and Mr Clark are both taking legal action against Dreamworld, having engaged Shine Lawyers to sue the theme park for "psychological injuries" they suffered. [27], The Queensland Coroner, James McDougall, released a report on 24 February 2020 detailing "irresponsible", "dangerous" and "inadequate" safety practices at the theme park that contributed to the four deaths, while recommending the Queensland office of industrial relations consider a prosecution. A CT scan and toxicological testing was also conducted.7 26. Tweet. Join 1.7 Million Subscribers On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. died almost instantly after the Thunder River Rapids Ride rafts collided, an inquiry heard in 2018. It's not clear whether Ardent Leisure has learnt all the lessons from the accident. After four riders were killed on it in late October 2016, the ride was closed. Dan Peled - AAP. The raft pictured still upright from the disaster. "The nation was overcome with grief and everybody tried to piece together in their minds what happened to those innocent people as they were dragged into that machinery. WebWBAL NewsRadio 1090/FM 101.5 - SYDNEY (AP) - Four people were killed Tuesday after a river rapids ride malfunctioned at a popular theme park on Australia's east coast, officials said. Help using this website - Accessibility statement. The other two passengers, both children, were able to climb out of the raft, still in its vertical orientation, to nearby platforms once the conveyor had been shut down by ride staff. Facebook. The Thunder River Rapids Ride was a river rapid type water ride located in the Town of Gold Rush section of the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[3]. Thunder River Rapids Dreamworld . Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. some paramedics requiring counseling due to the trauma of the scene. "We are well progressed on the way to global best practice," Weiss told reporters. The recovery of the bodies went on into the early hours of the next morning with some paramedics requiring counseling due to the trauma of the scene. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. [16] The 28 October reopening was cancelled on 27 October. This included removing some wooden slats on a conveyor belt at the end of the ride which created dangerously large gaps under which was machinery. Yesterday, the court heard an employee admit Dreamworld had suffered a "total failure" to identify safety issues on the ill-fated Thunder River Rapids ride. The raft then went under the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride's station and headed back towards its own station. To put it simply, Dreamworld's inadequacy and poor maintenance, likely resulted in the deaths of four people. "It was passed down from the management meeting that we would do it that way," Murphy said, adding he didn't know when the order to extend it from two break downs in one day had been made, or why. A popular ride at Dreamworld for 34 years, it was advertised as family-friendly. "Steps were not that complex or burdensome and only mildly inconvenient and really were inexpensive," Magistrate Pamela Dowse said. A Sydney-based company was commissioned to supply the vessels in 1983. It was an extraordinary event," he said. 25 October 2016, 3:22 pm. "It was simply a matter of time [before a fatal accident happened]. The water pump on the Thunder River Rapids ride would fail for a third time that day, but this time with fatal consequences. Dreamworld released a statement on their website and Facebook page stating: Dreamworld is currently closed until further notice due to an incident at the park. Mail. Former Dreamworld safety officer Shane Green told an inquest examining the tragedy that nothing could have improved the medics' response to the harrowing scene they were confronted with. Michael Cook, brother of Cindy, said his grief over his sister's death had resulted in the loss of his long-term partner, he had become an alcoholic and was suicidal. Although the ride was temporarily closed after the incident on 25 October 2016, it was later deemed to be closed indefinitely. The ride was 410 metres (1,350ft) long and had a maximum speed of 45 kilometres per hour (28mph). Four former Dreamworld workers are suing the Gold Coast theme park, two years after they witnessed the horror of four people dying on the Thunder River Rapids ride. The second raft was further moved by the conveyor into a vertical position and subsequently caused passengers to either fall out of the raft or become trapped in close proximity to the conveyor mechanism leading to fatal injuries for four passengers. Business; Politics; Military; Elections; Law; Immigration; Technology. Thunder River Rapids Dreamworld . While older siblings may have been tall enough and brave enough to try out some of the scarier roller-coasters, the Thunder River Rapids ride was for families, described as a "moderate thrill ride" and the minimum age limit was only two. "We want to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.". WebTHE panicked voice saying there was a "raft in the conveyor" of the Thunder River Rapids ride was Dreamworld employee Nigel Irwin's first indication something disastrous had happe Andrew James Mainey said while working as a Gold Coast police officer, he was sent to the scene of the carnage on October 25, 2016, to assist paramedics and first responders. When Ardent Leisure chairman Gary Weiss fronted the media on Monday afternoon following the damning coronial report, it was clear the company wanted to draw a line under the scandal. "In hindsight, yes," Naumann replied, after a long pause. Welcome to /r/submechanophobia; the fear of partially or fully submerged man-made objects, Press J to jump to the feed. But Roddenberry's dreamworld helped show that advanced technology and space travel were not only possible but normal. [23][24], On 9 November, Ardent Leisure chief executive Deborah Thomas announced that the ride would be permanently closed, out of respect to the victims and their families, and that they would be invited to help create a memorial in its place.