'A very, very sad and tragic event'
We’re going to leave our rolling coverage of the Dreamworlds tragedy here for the night.
What we can confirm at this stage is that four people, two men and two women, died after an accident or malfunction on the park’s Thunder River Rapids ride shortly after 2pm local time.
Two of the people were flung from the circular raft they were riding in and two were trapped underneath, in the conveyer belt. Police are yet to confirm if the four were family members or were known to each other, or if they had other family members at the park. All were aged in their 30s or early 40s.
The ride is classified as “family friendly” and involves floating down a river filled with artificial rapids. The water was drained by emergency services trying to rescue the trapped people.
The theme park has been closed for further notice. Dreamworks chief executive Craig Davidson, Queensland Ambulance’s Gavin Fuller, the police, and prime minister Malcolm Turnbull have all expressed their shock and sadness at the tragedy.
There will be a coronial investigation.
You can read our report here.
Police have been using a drone to investigate what went wrong with the ride, and now they have brought in a crane.
A crane has arrived at Dreamworld to assist authorities investigating a ride malfunction that killed 4 people. @abcgoldcoast pic.twitter.com/ukBBUAZ6bc
— Tom Forbes (@tomforbesGC) October 25, 2016
'It is one of the most tame rides here'
At Dreamworld about 4.30pm the parks main rides including the Tower of Terror, waterslides and flagship SideWinder visible from the M1 motorway stood silent. The giant saw blade promoting the Buzz Saw ride still idling in circles was the only sign of activity on the rides themselves.
A contingent of fire and rescue trucks, police and ambulance vehicles occupied parking bays north of the ticketing booths while news helicopters hovered.
News crews and police assembled on the forecourt immediately outside the ticketing booths and public entrance where Dreamworld management, police and ambulance officials gave a press conference.
Lisa Walker, a New Zealander visiting from New Guinea where she works as a police officer, was one of the patrons trickling out and 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.
“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.”
A distressed young girl was being comforted by police, Walker said.
Referring to the Thunder River Rapids Ride, Walker said: “It is one of the most tame rides here and certainly one for the families.”
Walker said her police background left her thinking that “I thought I could have helped” had she still been there when it happened.
Lily Smitheman, on holiday from New Zealand, said they had been on their way out of the park when the accident happened and saw “a whole bunch of people coming out at the same time”.
“Everyone was getting a lot of phone calls – I got a call from Mum asking if I was OK”.
Here’s the video of that press conference from earlier today.
Dreamworlds has repeated its message of condolence on twitter.
We are deeply shocked and saddened by today’s accident; our hearts and thoughts go to the families involved and their loved ones.
— Dreamworld (@Dreamworld_AU) October 25, 2016
Let’s look a little closer at the ride itself, which was described by one reporter as “really quite a timid ride.”
The circular rafts, which look like six chairs mounted on a giant inner tube, are sent around a 410m course. At the end of the ride the rafts are lifted out of the water on an incline by a conveyer belt
The Gold Coast bulletin has reported (in graphic detail) that in this case, one of the rafts flipped on the conveyer belt, dragging two people underneath.
Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has made a brief statement about the accident:
This is a very very sad and tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.
We trust there will be a very thorough investigation into the causes of this incident in the days that follow.
QAS has addressed media following incident at #Dreamworld. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones at this very difficult time. pic.twitter.com/jL0ykfGkGU
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) October 25, 2016
What we know so far
Just recapping some of the details from that very brief press conference:
- The theme park is closed until further notice
- The Thunder River Rapids ride suffered some form of “malfunction” which caused two people to be thrown from the six-person vessel and two people to be trapped.
- All four had “injuries incompatible with life.”
- Two men and two women, aged between 32 and their early 40s, died.
- No one else was injured.
- Staff at Dreamworld were attempting to administer first aid when paramedics arrived.
- Queensland Ambulance staff were “deeply affected” by the accident and have been offered counselling.
- Police are yet to formally confirm the identity of all four people will not confirm any further details about the deceased, including whether they were part of a larger group of friends and family, until next of kin have been notified.
- Detectives, the forensic crash unit, workplace health and safety and the coroner are on site.
- Their deaths will now be subject to a coronial investigation.
Updated
Here’s an aerial view of the Dreamworld site showing the location of the Thunder River Rapids Ride.
The 34-year-old ride is a staple for most families visiting the theme park, and Dreamworld is one of the most popular family holiday destinations on the east coast of Australia.
A number of people took to social media to register their shock at the incident.
Horrifying accident at Dreamworld. 4 people killed on ride. Thoughts with the families dealing with this tragedy.
— Peter Helliar (@pjhelliar) October 25, 2016
Holy crap, I've been on that ride hundreds of times. My thoughts are with the family/ies :( #dreamworld
— Coldpolarbear (@coldpolarbear) October 25, 2016
Is there an Australian on the east coast who doesn't have cherished memories of Dreamworld? :( This is so sad
— Rochelle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@spiderxmilk) October 25, 2016
That Dreamworld ride is literally the only one my parents ever allowed me to go on.
— Hel Thomson (@Helalost) October 25, 2016
Today is a sad day in our history. It's very sad what happened. I was only on that ride last month. Praying for everyone. #dreamworld
— Declan Hooke (@DeclanOfHooke) October 25, 2016
Dreamworld CEO: "deeply shocked and saddened"
Dreamworld chief executive Craig Davidson said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the accident on the Thunder River Rapids ride, which killed four people.
A Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Fuller said an accident occured on the ride that caused “two people to be ejected from the ride, another two people were caught inside the ride.”
They were assessed by Queensland ambulance personnel and had all sustained injuries that were incompatible with life.
Fuller confirmed that two women and two men passed away. They are aged between 32 and their early 40s. They have not all been formally identified.
He would not comment in any detail on how or where they were trapped or the nature of their injuries.
Police inspector Todd Reid would not comment on whether the people were known to each other or whether they were with anyone else on the ride (the carriages carry six).
The incident will be subject to a coronial investigation.
Associated Press is reporting that two men and two women were killed. It’s understood they were all in their late 20s or older.
That planned press conference has now been put off until 4.45pm Queensland time (5.45 AEDT).
A spokeswoman from Dreamworld has told me that the park was closed soon after the accident and will remain closed tomorrow.
Police confirm four people have died
Queensland Police have issued a statement confirming four adults have now died.
Police are currently investigating an incident that occurred this afternoon at a theme park on the Gold Coast. https://t.co/3buLSxa1qy
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) October 25, 2016
The statement reads:
Police are currently investigating an incident that occurred this afternoon at a theme park on the Gold Coast.
Police were called to the site at Coomera around 2.20pm following reports that a number of people had been injured by a conveyor belt.
Four adults have been confirmed as being deceased.
Police and other emergency services remain on the scene and no further information can be released at this stage.
The Thunder River Rapids ride is described as one of the park’s family rides, open to children as young as two.
It’s a water-based ride and passengers sit six to a craft. It’s described as a “moderate thrill” allowing passengers to “travel down a foamy water track past the Gold Rush Country, speeding up to 45 km/h through the turbulent rapids.”
It is unclear exactly how the accident occurred, but there are reports the craft flipped and trapped the passengers.
Ambulance spokesman says they, Dreamworld and police will hold a combined press conference at approx 4.10 Qld time. @abcgoldcoast
— Tom Forbes (@tomforbesGC) October 25, 2016
That’s 5.10pm AEDT (7.10am GMT).
Updated
The ABC is reporting that police will address media on the Gold Coast shortly.
Again, Dreamworld has issued a statement confirming that three people died in the incident.
The statement read:
Dreamworld confirms there has been at least three fatalities at its theme park in Queensland today.
Dreamworld is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts around the incident and is working closely with emergency authorities and police to do this.
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.
Dreamworld confirms three people have died
Dreamworld has issued a statement confirming that three people died in an accident at the park this afternoon.
Statement from #Dreamworld. pic.twitter.com/lYahZICCG5
— Michael Smyth (@MichaelSmyth_) October 25, 2016
Police and emergency services are yet to confirm that information.
Queensland Police have just scuttled reports they are holding a press conference at 4pm (that’s local time, 5pm AEDT).
We are not holding a press conference at 4pm. We will advise media when this time is set. We are also not confirming anything further.
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) October 25, 2016
We are still assuming there will be a press conference at some point this afternoon.
Dreamworld is about 24km north of the Gold Coast and about 55km south of Brisbane.
It’s the largest theme park in Australia and one of four theme parks on the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast’s mayor, Tom Tate, has responded to the accident, describing it as “a truly sad day for us all.”
Gold Coast mayor responds to terrible incidents unfolding at #dreamworld right now pic.twitter.com/zpvPYWeVVN
— Nadia Daly (@nadiasdaly) October 25, 2016
According to the ABC’s Tom Forbes, visitors to the theme park are streaming out the front gates past a number of emergency vehicles, which are in the car park alongside the rapids ride.
Forbes said police are expected to hold a press conference at 4pm.
A press conference will be held at Dreamworld at 4pm to update on incident. @abcgoldcoast pic.twitter.com/l1ecVWXReY
— Tom Forbes (@tomforbesGC) October 25, 2016
A number of Queensland media outlets are reporting that several people have died in the accident, but emergency services are yet to confirm.
We are expecting police to hold a press conference in the next half hour or so, at which point we might get official word.
What does now appear consistent across reports is that the accident occurred on the Thunder River Rapids Ride, when a carriage flipped and crushed the passengers.
Four people have been critically injured on a ride in Dreamworld in Australia.
Police were called to the theme park in the Gold Coast in Queensland about 2.10pm.
Four people have been critically injured at #Dreamworld. There is nothing further we can confirm at this stage.
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) October 25, 2016
There are unconfirmed reports that some people may have died.
At this stage, both police and Ambulance Queensland have said they are responding to a “multi-casualty event” and are unable to confirm details.
Dreamworld has yet to make a statement.
