Family says it ‘holds Dreamworld responsible’ for deaths

THE family of some of the Dreamworld victims say they are devastated and horrified by the evidence at the inquest into the ride disaster after more stunning revelations emerged.

• Park’s many missed opportunities
• Have park execs learned nothing?
• Ride operator ‘told not to speak to police’
• Staffer desperately tried to save victims

THE family of some of the Dreamworld victims say they are devastated and horrified by the evidence at the inquest into the ride disaster after more stunning revelations emerged yesterday.

Their comments came after revelations Dreamworld rides broke down as many as 20 times a day and the killer ride itself malfunctioned four times in the days leading up to the tragedy.

David Turner leaves the inquest with a supporter. Picture: AAP/Glenn Hunt

Shayne Goodchild, father of siblings Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, and Ms Goodchild’s partner Dave Turner, spoke yesterday after the coronial hearing wrapped up its first week.

Cindy Low, Ms Goodchild, her brother and his partner Roozi Araghi were killed in the October 2016 tragedy on the Thunder River Rapids ride.

Cindy Low, Luke Dorsett, Kate Goodchild and Roozi Araghi lost their lives at Dreamworld in October 2016.

“We are tired and ­devastated and horrified by the evidence that has come out this week,” Mr Goodchild and Mr Turner said in a statement through their ­lawyer, Steven Whybrow.

“We hold Dreamworld totally responsible for this tragic event that could have so easily been avoided.”

Kim Dorsett, the mother of Ms Goodchild and Mr Dorsett, described the week as “heartbreaking”.

During cross-examination yesterday, Dreamworld engineer Matthew Robertson was asked how many ride breakdowns he would typically respond to daily. He said he could attend up to 20 breakdowns on a busy day or “virtually zero” if it was quiet.

A document tendered at the hearing revealed the ride broke down twice in the week leading up to the tragedy. On both occasions, its south water pump failed and had to be reset.

The problem pump broke down again at 11.50am on the day of the disaster and then malfunctioned a second time at 1.09pm.

About half-an-hour later the pump failed a third time and the four were killed when their raft collided with another.

After the second malfunction, ride operator Sarah Cotter told Mr Robertson that the situation was “ridiculous”.

But Dreamworld’s protocols dictated the ride could only be shut down for the day after it broke down three times, the inquest was told.

Dreamworld chief executive Craig Davidson acknowledged it had been a harrowing week for families of the victims and said he was “truly sorry this happened”.