GOLD COAST // Four people were killed in an accident at a theme park on Australia’s popular Gold Coast on Tuesday, police said, with witnesses describing how “everyone was screaming” after a raft apparently flipped on a water ride.
The Dreamworld theme park, which has over 40 rides and attractions, said at least three people died, but police said four were killed.
“Four adults have been confirmed as being deceased,” Queensland police said, adding the incident involved a conveyor belt.
Queensland ambulance official Gavin Fuller said the victims were two men and two women, aged between 32 and their early 40s. Their names and nationalities were not revealed.
Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull extended his prayers to their families over what he called a “very, very, sad, tragic event”.
The Gold Coast Bulletin said the victims were on the Thunder River Rapids ride, which carries circular rafts that can accommodate six persons. It reported that water was drained from the attraction in an effort to save trapped victims, but to no avail.
The ride “sustained some sort of malfunction, causing two people to be ejected from the ride, another two people were caught inside the ride”, Mr Fuller said.
A witness who was about to go on the ride said “everyone was screaming” after a raft apparently flipped.
“We saw a little girl and we believe it was her mum because it was just her and her little sister that was an infant,” Lia Capes told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“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.”
Another witness, who did not want to be named, told the Gold Coast Bulletin: "My sister and niece were on the ride, they are so traumatised, there is a woman hanging by her foot, crushed from the ride."
Dreamworld, which opened in 1981, said it was “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.”
The park was closed and will remain shut on Wednesday.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said it was a “very sad day for our city”.
“Our thoughts are with the families of those affected — and the emergency staff in attendance ... A truly sad day for all,” Mr Tate said on Facebook.
* Agence France-Presse
