Thrillseekers rescued on Dreamworld ride

A number of Dreamworld patrons have been rescued after being stuck on one of the Gold Coast theme park's major thrill rides for 30 minutes.

Signage is seen outside the Dreamworld Theme Park

File image. Source: AAP

Thrillseekers were left stranded on Dreamworld's Buzzsaw ride for about 30 minutes before being rescued.

The passengers were stuck just after 1pm on Monday after a safety sensor was triggered on the large Gold Coast theme park ride, causing it to immediately shut down.

A Dreamworld spokesman said the riders were stuck for around half an hour before being brought down.

The Buzzsaw is one of Dreamworld's so-called "Big Nine" thrill rides.

The spokesman said no one was placed at risk by the stoppage.

"Auto-stopping and resetting of rides is a regular and essential part of operations. It occurs for a variety of reasons, from sensor alignment to guest behaviour or weather," he said in a statement.

"Guests are not placed in danger by auto-stops occurring. They are an essential built-in part of ride safety systems and manufacturer's specifications."



The incident comes four months after a malfunction on the Thunder River Rapids ride killed four people.

Dreamworld and the nearby WhiteWater World were shut for 45 days following the tragedy and visitor numbers at the park slumped 63 per cent once it reopened in December.

Parent company Ardent Leisure last month said passenger numbers had gradually improved since the start of the year and the park was embarking on an advertising blitz ahead of the Easter school holidays in April.

Shine Lawyers principal Roger Singh, whose firm has previously been involved in claims against Ardent Leisure, said authorities should consider imposing tougher penalties for ride malfunctions and stoppages.

"It is time to consider a high level independent body to review all theme park operations," he said in a statement.


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Source: AAP


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