Dreamworld: thrill-seekers 'crushed on conveyor belt on Thunder River Rapids ride at Australian theme park'

Four people were killed in a horror accident at a theme park in Australia today.

Police confirmed the four adults died on a ride at Dreamworld in Queensland, on the Gold Coast.

Six people were thought to have been on the Thunder River Rapids ride when one of the cars capsized, in what was described as an “horrific scene”.

The victims, two women and two men aged between 32 and their early 40s, are believed to be from the same extended family.

Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Fuller said the ride had “sustained some sort of malfunction” that caused “two people to be ejected from the ride, another two people were caught inside the ride”.

He said: “They were assessed by Queensland ambulance personnel and had all sustained injuries that were incompatible with life.”

Dreamworld chief executive Craig Davidson said he was “deeply shocked and saddened by this and our hearts and our thoughts go to the families involved and to their loved ones”.

Australia’s prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said: “This is a very, very sad and tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.

“Theme parks are a place for family fun and happiness, not tragedy.

“We trust there will be a very thorough investigation into the causes of this incident in the days that follow.”

The incident occurred at around 2.20pm. The gondola was close to the end of the ride when it flipped over, with victims trapped by the underwater conveyor belt.

Dreamworld Theme Park

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Dreamworld staff drained the water and desperately attempted to administer first aid before paramedics arrived.

The scene was so disturbing that ambulance staff were “deeply affected” by the accident and have been offered counselling.

One woman said a girl was being comforted crying hysterically that her mother was trapped on the ride.

Emergency services were called to the scene of an accident at the theme park

She said: “There were just police and lifeguards everywhere. I spoke to a guy and he said he looked behind and the whole thing has flipped over.”

A man, who declined to be named, told the Brisbane Courier Mail a girl was pulled from the ride just before it flipped over.

Another witness, Leah Capes, said: “The kids and people in there were screaming.

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

Shocked US Olympic gold medallist Matthew Centrowitz said he had been on the ride just a few minutes before the accident.

Dreamworld said they were working “quickly to establish the facts around the incident and is working closely with emergency authorities and police to do this”, while Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate called it “a very sad day for our city”.

Forensic crash unit officers, police detectives, the coroner and Workplace Health Safety officials were today examining the scene.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said they were doing a “thorough investigation”.

She added: “The scene I’m told was horrific, it was a horrific scene. They are going to send counsellors there as soon as possible to help those people suffering enormous trauma.

“On behalf of all of Queensland I convey our thoughts and prayer to the two females and two males who are no longer with us.”

A spokesman for Queensland Police said: “Police were called to the site at Coomera around 2.20pm following reports that a number of people had been injured by a conveyor belt.

“Four adults have been confirmed as being deceased.

“Police and other emergency services remain on the scene and no further information can be released at this stage.”

The Thunder River Rapids ride is described as one of the park’s family rides, open to children as young as two, and has been operating for 34 years at the theme park.

It is described as giving a “moderate thrill” allowing passengers to “travel down a foamy water track past the Gold Rush Country, speeding up to 45 km an hour through the turbulent rapids”.

The ride was shut down in April for a weekend after a man almost drowned.

The theme park has now been closed until further notice.

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