Speculation and media beat ups - Thunder River Rapids incident

[Ashley]

I recon the ride attendants running the ride will be handing there badges in, I highly believe that won't be able to run a ride again knowing that such a tragedy happened while they were in charge of ride.

Once again  RIP to those who couldn't make.  

[Life]

16 minutes ago, djrappa said:

Personally I would be very surprised to see the ride ever re open. 

Whilst popular it is also an aging ride that is very expensive to run and this tragic incident has probably sealed its fate. 

Other rides have killed people and reopened yes, but with far for reason to than TRRR has. 

Coukd be an end to that entire area of the park with the idea of putting the tragedy behind them. 

 

In this time though, regardless of if it was your favourite ride, or how sad YOU might be, four people lost their lives today and it would be a horrific time for anyone who knew them or was involved. 

Perspective is important. 

It has happened before, with this very ride... Although only one death, and in a different section. This did not stop the park, and the ride from recovering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roaring_Rapids#Incidents

I am slightly concerned at the reports the raft slipped down the lift hill, the timber slat conveyor design is used on all Intamin installations even up to their most recent 2013 builds, if there is a long term wear issue, should this not be part of their maintenance schedule? It is the manufactuerers responsibility to provide the maint schedule of their equipment...

[westical]

16 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

I'm also reading news reports that Ardent's share price has dropped heaps as a result of this incident but after looking at the ASX, it is not a significant drop so ignore those reports.

To be fair it did plummet in the last half hour of trade. Wouldn't be surprised to see Village jump tomorrow too. 

[XxMrYoshixX]

29 minutes ago, djrappa said:

Personally I would be very surprised to see the ride ever re open. 

Whilst popular it is also an aging ride that is very expensive to run and this tragic incident has probably sealed its fate. 

Other rides have killed people and reopened yes, but with far for reason to than TRRR has. 

Could be an end to that entire area of the park with the idea of putting the tragedy behind them. 

 

In this time though, regardless of if it was your favourite ride, or how sad YOU might be, four people lost their lives today and it would be a horrific time for anyone who knew them or was involved. 

Perspective is important. 

I've thought DW could rebuild the ride entirely (Intamin still make Rapids rides), however if DW do want to put this incident behind them they shouldn't do so. With this accident we might see further modifications to Rapids rides like these to make them safe again, which is always a good thing.

On the DW maintenance website it says it's down till the 30th though, so they might have plans of reopening it. 

[razza1987]

2 hours ago, aaronm said:

The way the media report this kind of thing seems to demonstrate they care more about being first than getting the facts straight.

In any case, always awful to hear of accidents at theme parks. Thoughts are with Dreamworld staff, and the families of the victims.

I've spent some time writing to Channel Seven that this ride was NOT the ride that had an incident on it back in April where someone almost drowned but was RHS. I hate it how journalists report incorrect facts.

 

This whole thing is just shocking. I thought it was a hoax at first. Thoughts go out to the family and friends of those who have passed away and to all the people who witnessed this

Edited October 25, 2016 by razza1987
Made an error

[westical]

The 30th is a placeholder for sure. Thoughts about reopening would be far from their minds. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by westical

[Richard]

Once again, please let's refrain from negative voting on completely reasonable posts.

 

23 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

I don't understand that - clipped on the way down yet needs meshing above the riders?

Because it would fall after the fast-moving gondola clipped it, so it would come from above the riders.

[Harold]

Some helpful photos in this article

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2043356/dreamworld-thunder-river-rapids-ride-crash-kills-four-car-capsizes-conveyor-belt-australia/

Is that (the part where the boat is perpendicular to the belt) the point at which the belt terminates and loops back aound?

http://imgur.com/a/4niPm

[UpperCoomera]

Dreamworld only just recently performed a change to the ride didn't they? Installing new parts to the bottom of the channelling or something? 

So goddamn sad. 

[www worker 2.0]

Will be posting an update later tonight once managers, QPS, forensics and WPHS have inspected the ride. Will be small update on what I'm allowed to say. Ride will be investigated tomorrow as well. Condolences to the families on behalf of myself and all staff at Dreamworld.

[Shadovv]

3 minutes ago, Harold said:

Some helpful photos in this article

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2043356/dreamworld-thunder-river-rapids-ride-crash-kills-four-car-capsizes-conveyor-belt-australia/

Such a misleading article, among other similar ones, that the log ride and river rapids are the same ride. They make it seem that the accident earlier in the year was on the same ride to make DW look irresponsible

[webslave]

10 minutes ago, westical said:

To be fair it did plummet in the last half hour of trade. Wouldn't be surprised to see Village jump tomorrow too. 

I'd be surprised to see it jump.  I've not checked based on past incidents, but I would be more inclined to think that incidents like this also hurt other parks resulting from the loss of confidence in the punters who often do not discriminate.  

[Santa07]

Although I can't speak for the park, I'm 99% sure DW have no plans to re-open that ride now, and that date will be pushed back as the months go on. Even if they do re-open the ride, look how long GL took to get fully-checked, I'm sure it would be at least a year.

Edited October 26, 2016 by joz
Reference to deleted content removed

[Harold]

5 minutes ago, mba2012 said:

^ I was about to post that photo. There's a slight better version here.

But yes, that is where the top of the conveyer belt is and where it loops back. 

So it is gravity (or a current?) that pushes the boats around to what I recall is the loading station? Seems like a strange spot for the front car to stop and move in the wrong direction?

Edited October 25, 2016 by Harold

[razza1987]

19 minutes ago, Shadovv said:

Such a misleading article, among other similar ones, that the log ride and river rapids are the same ride. They make it seem that the accident earlier in the year was on the same ride to make DW look irresponsible

Seven is saying the exact same thing. It's annoying me

[Theme Park Girl]

34 minutes ago, XxMrYoshixX said:

On the DW maintenance website it says it's down till the 30th though, so they might have plans of reopening it. 

Need you be reminded that four people just tragically suffered horrific, brutal deaths on this ride? Honestly I think that would be the very last thing on mind of the park's management and staff at the moment... if they have even remotely thought about it at all at this stage. The cause of the incident has not been determined as yet, let alone if the ride is safe to ever continue operating in future. 

Despite what date the website allegedly states at this stage, one would be wise to assume it indicates very little and tbh at this stage I'd expect the ride to remain closed indefinitely, if not out of respect of the victims alone. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Theme Park Girl

[razza1987]

ABC News on my iPhone are saying "early investigations suggest water pushed one raft into another and one of the rafts tipped over, throwing the riders out."

[Tornado]

very tragic indeed. unfortunately eureka will have some company now TRRR will not be opening again. the ride is already gone from the rides list no need to worry about maintenance mode it's history very sad and dw will lose another classic ride that was there when it 1st opened...

[Tim Dasco]

I was watching a news report which said their were another 2 males on the raft who managed to get free and survived. These 2 have been sent for questioning by police and are receiving council along with family's of the deceased and staff operating the ride.

[Theme Park Girl]

16 minutes ago, Hiisi25 said:

 

 

16 minutes ago, Hiisi25 said:

If they managed to open The Smiler at Alton Towers, they sure as hell can open River Rapids.

Possibly, but the point of my post was to indicate that now is not the time to be even remotely considering such a thing. They haven't even properly started the investigation yet, and that alone is something that is no doubt going to take a lengthy amount of time. 

It is worth pointing out, however, that the reason the Smiler reopened was with the conclusion that their accident was the consequence of operator error and lack of training, not because of any fault with the actual ride itself. That and whilst there were serious injuries involved, none of them resulted in actual death. 

Such decisions on whether a ride reopens or not post accident fall on the circumstances surrounding the incident itself. Therefore given we have no idea at this stage as to how and why this happened with River Rapids, it's way too early to be concluding if or when the ride will ever reopen. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Theme Park Girl

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

4 minutes ago, Tornado said:

the ride is already gone from the rides list no need to worry about maintenance mode 

??

[Richard]

Look everyone... some have obviously been affected by this incident more than others.

We're not going to ask  members to refrain from speculation. Obviously at this point there are a lot of photos and eye-witness accounts out there to go by and this is a community of theme park lovers so there will be discussion.

I might suggest that rather than condemning others for making observations or sharing thoughts, that you perhaps take a break from this topic for a day or two if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by today's tragic events.

We really don't want to see bickering, down-voting or other pettiness in an already difficult discussion.

[Jamberoo Fan]

3 hours ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

Nine News Sydney are really giving it to the Gold Coast theme parks sadly - a story dedicated to nearly all previous incidents in ALL Gold Coast theme parks from pyrotechnic mishaps to minor ride malfuncations to passengers misbehaving on the rides.

This is the story I was referring to but it is from Nine News Brisbane (it is an 'extended version' to the one I saw - more incidents than what was reported on Nine News Sydney but it is edited differently at times - very minor changes though - and has a different reporter/script):

Edited October 25, 2016 by Jamberoo Fan

[Theme Park Girl]

12 minutes ago, Hiisi25 said:

Anyway the consequences of what happened to the 'Victims' was due to probably out of their own stupidity, like mucking around (Jumping, roaming around the raft, etc)

There has been absolutely no evidence of this, including from witnesses whom have spoken openly to the media today. If anything, numerous sources have been speculating that the accident happened due to a ride malfunction. 

[Hiisi25]

3 minutes ago, Theme Park Girl said:

 

Possibly, but the point of my post was to indicate that now is not the time to be even remotely considering such a thing. They haven't even properly started the investigation yet, and that alone is something that is no doubt going to take a lengthy amount of time. 

It is worth pointing out, however, that the reason the Smiler reopened was with the conclusion that their accident was the consequence of operator error and lack of training, not because of any fault with the actual ride itself. That and whilst there were serious injuries involved, none of them resulted in death.

Such decisions on whether a ride reopens or not post accident fall on the circumstances surrounding the incident itself. Therefore given we have no idea at this stage as to how and why this happened with River, it's way too early to be concluding that the ride will reopen. 

Well can we just put it up to 'Shit Happens'? Because they do and we move on, also I strongly disagree with the entire closure of the park until further notice... We simply don't close every single road in the country because there was a car accident.