Inquest into Dreamworld deaths played CCTV footage of tragedy

Footage of the October 2016 Dreamworld tragedy has been played to a closed court at a Queensland inquest into the deaths of four visitors at the theme park.

Queensland Emergency service personnel are seen at amusement theme park Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016.

Queensland emergency service personnel at Dreamworld in 2016. Source: AAP

Family members of the four people killed at Dreamworld after a ride malfunction have chosen to watch CCTV footage of the tragedy in a Queensland Coroner's Court.

The footage was played in a closed court on the ninth day of an inquest into the Thunder River Rapids Ride tragedy on Thursday on the Gold Coast.

Several family members chose to be in the court as the footage was played.
The inquest is investigating the deaths of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi on October 25, 2016.

The four were travelling on a raft on the 30-year-old ride when it collided with another raft and partially flipped.

Earlier a former Dreamworld employee described witnessing an incident in which four rafts collided on the Thunder River Rapids ride over 15 years before the 2016 tragedy.

Joe Stenning was beginning a shift as a deckhand on the ride in January 2001 when the empty rafts collided, forcing one to flip over.
Young girls walk through a floral tribute outside Dreamworld following the October 2016 tragedy.
Young girls walk through a floral tribute outside Dreamworld following the October 2016 tragedy. Source: AAP
The incident has similarities to the fatal event.

Mr Stenning told the inquest the incident had been "frightening".

"As you can imagine, it was pretty unreal to witness," Mr Stenning said on Thursday.

The inquest was shown an incident report from Dreamworld in which visitor distraction, the absence of a second operator due to illness and an "employee panicking" were listed among contributing factors to the 2001 collision.

Mr Stenning said he couldn't recall if he underwent any emergency training or re-training on the Thunder River Rapids ride after the incident.
On Wednesday the inquest heard Dreamworld staff had openly discussed among themselves their desire to undertake emergency drills before the 2016 tragedy.

"It was something that as operators we talked about wanting," training and compliance officer Amy Crisp said.

Dreamworld electrician Jacob Wilson attended two water pump failures in the days leading up to the tragedy.

The water pump failed twice on the day of the tragedy before a third failure contributed to the fatal incident.

Mr Wilson agreed with barrister Matthew Hickey, representing Ms Low's family, when he was asked if an electrical shutdown for the ride could have "easily been installed".

The inquest continues.


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Inquest into Dreamworld deaths played CCTV footage of tragedy | SBS News