Dreamworld inquest: Park safety recommendations to be unveiled

Aircraft-style seatbelts would have saved at least one of the four tourists who died on the Thunder River Rapids ride, the Dreamworld inquest has been told.

AIRCRAFT-style seatbelts would have saved at least one of the four tourists who died on the Thunder River Rapids ride, the Dreamworld inquest has been told.

Mechanical engineer Dr Frank Grigg, who is on a panel of experts advising Coroner James McDougall, told the inquest aircraft-style seat belts should be included as one of Mr McDougall’s recommendations.

The inquest heard the rafts on the ride were fitted with Velcro seatbelts.

“I believe one of the deceased would have been still alive if the rafts had been fitted with an aircraft-style lap belt,” Dr Grigg said.

He said aircraft-type belts were superior to Velcro straps and ‘probably less expensive’.

“You know what happens … you hear them go ‘click’,” he said.

10.30am: Sweeping changes for theme park safety

THE last phase of the Dreamworld tragedy inquest is underway, with recommendations unveiled for sweeping changes to theme park safety in Queensland.

Three sittings of the inquest into the 2016 Thunder River Rapids ride disaster, which claimed the lives of four tourists, have been held so far this year.

Two final days of sittings began today in Southport Court, with testimony from workplace health and safety experts.

The inquest this morning heard recommendations including a major inspection of all theme park rides every 10 years had been made by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, as part of proposed regulatory changes in the wake of the Dreamworld tragedy.

Coroner James McDougall is probing the deaths of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi on the Thunder River Rapids ride in October 2016.

Mr McDougall is expected to hand down his findings next year.