Dreamworld tragedy: ‘There were kids screaming’

TWO Dreamworld patrons yesterday recounted how a number of ride breakdowns in the lead-up to the river ride tragedy created a “bad feeling” akin to that from watching the horror movie Final Destination.

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TWO Dreamworld patrons yesterday recounted how a number of worrying ride breakdowns in the lead-up to yesterday’s river ride tragedy created a “bad feeling” akin to that from watching the horror movie Final Destination.

Kiwi mother-and-daughter Lisa and Kaylah Walker’s account of the glitches, including one on the Thunder River Rapids ride on which four people died two hours later, came as other witnesses recounted the horror of the scene on the seemingly tame Dreamworld water ride.

White sheets cover the bodies of the victims after the ride tragedy. Photo: David Clark

The New Zealand visitors saw the earlier malfunction, in which people were left stranded on the Thunder River Rapids ride for about 30 to 40 minutes. “They were just sitting there, looking pretty bored out of their brains actually, while staff drained the water out,” Lisa said.

“We were on top of the bridge and saw all these people­ sitting there so we headed to the other side of the park and by the time we heard the sirens we came back and everything had been cordoned off.

Kate Goodchild

Roozbeh Araghi

Luke Dorsett

“It was pretty obvious then what had happened.”

The pair, in the middle of a theme park tour holiday, said other rides had also broken down throughout the day.

“We saw the motorbike ride having issues, the Tower of Terror, even the Buzz Saw, I don’t think we saw that go around once all day,” Lisa said.

Senior police at Dreamworld where four people were killed, Gold Coast. Photo: Regi Varghese

“It was a bit like that Final Destination movie because everything was breaking down and having issues throughout the day, there was just a bad feeling around the park.”

She said the park was flooded with panic in the minutes following the accident. “When we came back and saw the aftermath, people were running around, crying, hugging each other,” she said.

Four people were killed in the horror incident. Picture: David Clark

Police and paramedics spent much of the day at the scene. Picture: David Clark

“There was one little girl talking to detectives who was very upset, it was very, very sad. There was another lady on her phone saying that she saw someone hanging by their foot.

“It’s unbelievable to think what’s supposed to be a family friendly ride could end up resulting in something so tragic — my heart really goes out to the family.”

More grisly accounts emerged from other traumatised patrons — many of them children — as details of the disaster trickled through.

“My sister and niece were on the ride, they are so traumatised, there is a woman hanging by her foot, crushed from the ride,” one patron recounted­.

A man walks with police from Dreamworld after the horror accident. Photo: Regi Varghese

HORROR SPARKS TIDE OF TRIBUTES

“The thoughts and prayers of all Qlders are with the family and friends of those who lost their lives today at Dreamworld.”
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QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Twitter

“This is a very sad day for our city.”
“Our thoughts are with the families of those affected – and the emergency staff in attendance.
“I urge everyone to show the respect needed as the relevant authorities undertake investigations in to what has occurred.
“A truly sad day for all."
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Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate on Facebook

“We believe that four people have died on the Gold Coast at Dreamworld,” she told delegates.”
“And I just think that on behalf of all the tourism operators that are here today, we just would like to pass on our wishes and prayers not only to our partners at Dreamworld but also to the family and friends of those that have lost loved ones.”
“I just think it’s important that we stand with our colleagues at Dreamworld at this sad time.”
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Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones

"Dude! Just got off a ride 15 mins ago that has 1 person seriously injured & 2 others trapped #Dreamworld"
"hearing more news about the tragic event at Dreamworld today. Thoughts and prayers go out to people and families involved."

- Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz on Twitter

“I’m very saddened to learn 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.”

- Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Another witness described how shocked children saw the adults perish in horrific circumstances.

“It flipped and obviously there were kids on board screaming while their mum was, like, trapped under,” a man told Channel 9.

Gold Coast woman Lia Capes was waiting near the ride’s entrance enjoying her time at the park when people suddenly began running away from the ride’s line.

Distressed patrons after yesterday’s tragedy. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“The kids and people in there were screaming,” Ms Capes said.

“It all happened so quickly. There were heaps of people crying, it all happened so fast.

“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.”

Police on the scene of the tragedy at Dreamworld where four people died yesterday. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

A woman told Channel 7 she believed a young child witnessed her mother being killed.

“I spoke to a guy and he said he looked behind and the whole thing flipped over. We just saw people hysterically crying, running around,” a woman told TV reporters. “We saw this daughter crying, we think it was her mum who was involved in the accident.”

Another witness marvelled at his fortune to have not been on board the ride with his children.

“We were on it just beforehand and there was no dramas with it. We have only walked to the back of the park, come back again and it is all closed off with a helicopter in the sky. Tragic. Lucky I didn’t bring my kids today.”

Hayden Woodgate leaves flowers at the scene of the accident at Dreamworld. PIC MARC ROBERTSON

Another witness had been enjoying the ride just before tragedy struck and helicopters started circling.

“It wasn’t long before that we were on it and the park started getting shut down and we saw the helicopters. They were walking out and heard that the mother, the father, the uncle all got serious injured, possibly even died and the daughter was the only one who survived,” she said.

Victorian tourist Lee Grogan said his family had been on the ride earlier that day. “After we got off we watched from the bridge and a few cars were piling­ up,” he said.

A number of theme park patrons took to social media to express their shock, with visiting 1500m US Olympic gold medallist Matthew Centrowitz commenting on Twitter: ‘‘Dude, just got off a ride 15 mins ago that has 1 person seriously injured and 2 others trapped.’’