‘Serious’ injuries at Dreamworld

POLICE are combing CCTV footage available for clues as to what caused the horror crash that killed four people at Dreamworld after a ride “malfunction”.
Queensland Police Inspector Tod Reid said footage will be reviewed during the investigation that is expected to stretch overnight.
The victims are a 42-year-old woman, a 38-year-old man, a 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman and a forensic pathologist and coroner have inspected the scene.
“We will be here for several hours,” he said. “It is a complex retrieval involving heavy equipment that will take several hours.”
The tragic deaths occurred on the water-based Thunder River Rapids ride about 2.20pm Queensland time on Tuesday.
Two riders were understood to be trapped by the underwater conveyor belt after the ride in front up-ended and two people were trapped in the raft. Two other riders were able to escape.
The New Zealand Herald reports one of the four killed was a New Zealand woman who was believed to be on holiday with her family. Eyewitness accounts suggest at least one of the women had children.
Gavin Fuller of Queensland Ambulance said two of the victims were “ejected” after a “malfunction” on the ride, while two others were caught inside.
Theme park staff were trying to help them when paramedics arrived — but Mr Fuller said their injuries were so severe they were “incompatible with life”.

People are beginning to leave tributes at the scene while witnesses have told of how people fled the park crying.
PEOPLE HYSTERICALLY CRYING’
Witnesses said they saw a young girl crying who they believed was the daughter of one of the victims.
“We saw people hysterically crying, running around ... One of the daughters said it was her family,” a witness told Sky News.
Another said a woman was seen “hanging by her foot, crushed from the ride.”
Witness Lia Capes said it was “so scary” as they saw a young girl screaming for her mother.
“We saw [a] little girl and we believe it was her mum because it was just her and her little sister that was an infant.”
“We tried to comfort her to the side to distract her.”
She also said: “I was speaking to one of the guys and he said it was the raft or the boat thing in front of him, the whole thing flipped and everyone was screaming.”
A male witness said“there were kids on board screaming while their mum was trapped under”.
PROBLEMS WITH RIDE?
Witnesses reported problems with the ride earlier in the day. One told Nine News they waited for 30 minutes while engineers drained the water.
“They drained all the water out and then had to refill it back up, and then we were allowed to go.
“But, yeah, we were stuck there for about 30-40 minutes at least,” she said. Police said they were unaware of any earlier incidents.
The television network also claimed the ride was supposed to be closed for “annual maintenance” but was operating instead.
The scene was so traumatic paramedics would be offered counselling. Dreamworld CEO Craig Davidson said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families involved and their loved ones.”
The company also issued a statement saying it was working with police to establish the facts.
“Dreamworld’s focus and priority is with the families of those involved in this tragedy and will be providing an update to the public as soon as information becomes available.”
The park will remain closed on Wednesday and Ardent Leisure — the owner of Dreamworld — saw its share price plunge following the incident.

SECOND SHUTDOWN IN SIX MONTHS
It’s the second time this year the park has been forced to close due to safety concerns over a ride. In April it was shut down for a weekend after a man nearly drowned on a similar ride. Worksafe Queensland allowed it to reopen after an investigation.
A Queensland Workplace Health and Safety spokesman said preliminary reports it may have been an industrial accident on a ride undergoing repair were false.
“The early indications we have is that the ride was operating at the time of the incident,” he said.
Fans of the park have taken to social media to vent fears about ageing equipment and operational issues.
Facebook user Tasneem Seedat gave the popular park a two star review on Monday, saying rides are “out of date and are not as smooth as they should be.”
“I injured myself on the way down from the giant drop because of your old school repairs and upgrades. Wipe-out and a few others need replacing. It just needs a general update all together. All rides are out of date,” she wrote.
“Another major concern is that for all of your rides there is only 1 or at max 2 people operating it and checking harnesses.”

‘IT WAS A HORRIFIC SCENE’
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was saddened to hear of the “tragic accident at Dreamworld earlier today.”
“Theme parks are a place for family fun and happiness, not tragedy. This is a very, very, sad, tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.
“This is a very sad day, and we trust there will be a thorough investigation into the causes of this accident over the days to follow,” he said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says counsellors are being rushed to Dreamworld to calm people.
“I understand there were many witnesses,” she said. “The scene, I’m told, was horrific. It was a horrific scene.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the tragedy was “a very sad day for our city”.
“Our thoughts are with the families of those affected — and the emergency staff in attendance,” he said.
“I urge everyone to show the respect needed as the relevant authorities undertake investigations in to what has occurred.”
Mr Tate was due to visit Dreamworld on Tuesday night. He told news.com.au the city would do everything it could to help the families of the victims.
“I’m just shocked by it. People come to the Gold Coast to have a good time and have wonderful memories. This is the reverse of that.”
US Olympic gold medallist Matthew Centrowitz said he was on the ride just before the accident happened.

The Thunder River Rapids Ride is currently Australia’s only river rapids ride and opened on December 11, 1986, reports the Gold Coast Bulletin.
A Dreamworld promotion for the ride describes people “speeding up to 45km/h through turbulent rapids”. Riders board one of several six-person circular rafts and can be as young as two years-old.
The raft is dispatched and the riders travel back past the ride’s queue and into a cave.
Upon exiting the cave, riders experience the main rapids section of the ride. This section runs alongside a large water catchment which powers both the Thunder River Rapids Ride and The Rock Hollow Log Ride.