Hamilton Island fails to answer questions about safety after honeymoon golf buggy death

A luxury island has refused to answer questions about vehicle maintenance and safety following the golf buggy death of a newlywed bride. But a workplace safety watchdog has confirmed it is reviewing the case.

The funeral of Marina Hanna who was tragically killed while on her honeymoon on Hamilton Island with her new husband Robbie Awad when the golf buggy they were in rolled.

A luxury island has refused to answer questions about vehicle maintenance and safety following the golf buggy death of a newlywed bride on her honeymoon.

This comes after a court found her husband, who had been driving that fateful day, was not responsible for the fatal crash, prompting the workplace safety watchdog to review case files regarding the legal outcome.

Sydney couple Robbie Awad and Marina Hanna, who had been together for eight years, had been celebrating their nuptials on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, staying at high-end Qualia resort when the gut-wrenching moment occurred about 4.30pm on June 20, 2022.

The pair had been in a golf buggy and the battery was running low when Mr Awad attempted a U-turn at the corner of Coral Sea Ave and Whitsunday Boulevard.

In distressing footage played in Proserpine Magistrates Court during a two-day hearing Mr Awad told police the vehicle had slowed, struggling to accelerate up a steep hill and so he had been attempting a U-turn to go back and get it fixed or a new buggy.

Robbie was found not guilty of driving without due care and attention over the death of his wife Marina Hanna on their Hamilton Island honeymoon when the golf buggy he was driving crashed.

“As we’re turning, it started to go faster and we fell over. It went wham. That was it, it was three seconds,” Mr Awad told police.

“I can’t believe this has happened … I can’t believe she’s dead – we just got married.”

He was charged with driving without due care and attention causing death over allegations he had attempted the U-turn in the wrong location.

Robbie Awad and Marina Hanna on their wedding day. Picture: sourced by 9 News.

However Mr Awad’s legal team argued the tragic consequences were not his fault, that the vehicle had been faulty and had accelerated unexpectedly during the U-turn causing the fatal crash.

The court also heard from a then-manager at Qualia who had given the couple a rundown of how to use the buggy who said he had not read out safety instructions but rather told them where to find the manual and had not instructed them how to charge the buggy or told them of the dangers of driving in steep terrain.

Mr Awad had been attempted a U-turn on a hill when the golf buggy flipped killing Ms Hanna.

Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan returned a not guilty verdict, finding the prosecution failed to provide substantial evidence that had Mr Awad attempted the U-turn any other way the result would have been different.

She also accepted Mr Awad did not have enough time to react or try to brake when the acceleration occurred.

There was an outpouring of community support for Mr Awad over the result with many lauding the outcome, believing “he is already serving a life sentence”.

Robbie Awad at Proserpine Magistrates Court during his two-day hearing. Photo: Andrew Pattinson

Following the result this publication reached out to Hamilton Island Enterprises with questions on whether there had been or will be any internal investigation regarding golf buggies following the fatal crash, how often were buggies serviced or replaced, if there had been any change regarding safety briefings to guests and how did they ensure staff were trained to give proper safety briefings.

Hamilton Island Enterprise did not respond to a single question about buggy maintenance and safety, instead saying: “ Our deepest thoughts and condolences remain with Robbie Awad and the family and friends of Marina Hanna.

“The safety and wellbeing of our guests, residents and employees continues to be our highest priority.”

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland also confirmed it was “currently reviewing material related to the court outcome”.

“As those inquiries are ongoing WHSQ are unable to comment further,” a WHSQ spokesperson said.

Originally published as Hamilton Island fails to answer questions about safety after honeymoon golf buggy death