Speculation and media beat ups - Thunder River Rapids incident

[Reanimated35 3,493]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 3:00 PM, Brad2912 said:

Reports a boat 'slipped' on the conveyor with people being ejected and trapped underwater. 

Surely the only way for that to have happened is for people to up up out of their seats or being silly? I'm not accusing anyone of anything, but given the hundreds of thousands of people who have successfully negotiated that ride beforehand, surely something was up?

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 3:08 PM, www worker 2.0 said:

This is an absolutely tragic accident, ambulance officers currently treating four people can not confirm if there is a death until police make comments. Raft has slipped, one person has been caught in conveyor. Currently in contact with Intamin and maintenance staff to find possible causes. Press Conference about future attractions has been pushed back.  Absolutely horrible.

 

UPDATE: One confirmed dead, possible second.

You say raft slipped. What about the anti-rollbacks that were recently installed? it can't have slipped that far on it's own to eject someone, surely?

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 3:16 PM, Theme Park Ninja said:

Channel 9 is saying it's Buzzsaw that the person was killed on, my thoughts are with the victims at the moment ?

It's confirmed to be the rapids

****MODERATOR NOTE****

This thread contains all the media beat-up and speculation.  While every effort was made to split off the thread in a clean way that makes sense, it wasn't possible with some posts containing comments on several topics.  Here is the criteria for posts that were moved here:

* Posts which contained speculation about the cause of the accident

* Posts which contained misinformation, either from the media or from our own members

* Posts which responded to the above 2 conditions.  As much as this thread is a dumping ground for a lot of the rot, there are a few really good posts in this thread responding to poor information, as well as people reacting to the various pieces of news.  If you find your post in here, it doesn't mean that it has been deemed a 'bad' post, but it is in the same conversation, and has been moved here to make the conversation as flowing as possible.

* Some troll comments are included for context

 

Posts from before an official announcement was made by QPS have been left in their original thread.

 

Thank you for your understanding

- Joz

Edited October 26, 2016 by joz
Mod note added.

[New display name 2,955]

2 minutes ago, reanimated35 said:

Surely the only way for that to have happened is for people to up up out of their seats or being silly? I'm not accusing anyone of anything, but given the hundreds of thousands of people who have successfully negotiated that ride beforehand, surely something was up?

You say raft slipped. What about the anti-rollbacks that were recently installed? it can't have slipped that far on it's own to eject someone, surely?

It's confirmed to be the rapids

A bit early, don't you think?

[Jessicajealousy 23]

Just now, Slick said:

 

I have this report http://www.9news.com.au/

This man is still saying Buzzsaw - it is clearly rapids, but the video shows police tape all around the buzzsaw (going through the buzzsaw building) as well.

[Reanimated35 3,493]

Just now, YLFATEEKS said:

A bit early, don't you think?

Not really. Just curious to know what happened and now seeing the video of the raft that has been caught under the convener, it makes sense.

[XxMrYoshixX 188]

Nine News confirms one person has died.

Sayonara, Thunder River Rapids (1985-2016). That ride's popularity will take a serious hit and could be disastrous for DW in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.

 

Edited October 25, 2016 by XxMrYoshixX

[Gary86 176]

Just now, XxMrYoshixX said:

Nine News confirms one person has died.

Sayonara, Thunder River Rapids (1985-2016). That ride's popularity will take a serious hit and could be disastrous for DW in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.

It opened in December 1986.

 

 

[buzzkill13 19]

I'm not going to suggest misconduct is what made this occur, in fact quite the opposite. Standing in the raft would not cause it to invert on that angle

Reports they are contacting intamin to find out a possible cause - but it looks as if the unload section was occupied and the conveyor literally grabbed onto the raft and kept pushing it in, causing it to flip up and wedge inside 

 

I really feel for everyone involved, persons, operators and management. This is huge

Edited October 25, 2016 by buzzkill13

[Brad2912 3,707]

12 minutes ago, www worker 2.0 said:

We believe the passengers were standing on the raft while it was on the conveyor. Managers along with QPS are currently going over the rides cameras.

I don't believe that comment should be made publicly without 100% confirmed accuracy. People have died, let's not blame or put the onus on them at this point for their sake of their family & friends 

[themagician 5,382]

Reports have just said that one of the boats slipped on the lift hill of the river Rapids, sliding back and crashing into another boat, causing it to flip. At this stage it's believed 2 people have been killed, and 4 injured. 

Horrible news, and thoughts are with those injured and their family and friends 

[Zanstabar 308]

Channel 9 is really needing to get their facts straight. Their Facebook page is claiming four dead on the rapids, Twitter has one dead with three injured, while the live news is saying one dead on the Buzzsaw. 

Regardless of how many casualties, it's quite sad to see such a serious event transpire at a local park. Let's just hope for the best until we hear offical word at the press conference. 

[buzzkill13 19]

17 minutes ago, www worker 2.0 said:

We believe the passengers were standing on the raft while it was on the conveyor. Managers along with QPS are currently going over the rides cameras.

I don't believe you should be speaking on behalf of dreamworld as you are not their media representative and clearly are breaching your contract

[aaronm 92]

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.

[Levithian 226]

52 minutes ago, Jessicajealousy said:

How awful   
Newbie question - what is an industrial incident as opposed to a non-industrial incident?

Not sure if its just simply the difference between someone being injured/killed, and someone being injured/killed by equipment or machinery, etc. Like, someone having a heart attack or slipping and falling vs something like this.

Industrial accident kinda made the tone sound like it was staff not the public? Do they have scheduled maintenance river rapids? It's a bit dark, but you can see in some of the aerial footage, one of the gondolas is on it's side.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Levithian

[webslave 386]

2 minutes ago, buzzkill13 said:

I don't believe you should be speaking on behalf of dreamworld as you are not their media representative and clearly are breaching your contract

If you're not a party to said contract then I suggest you're unqualified to give advice.

[Reanimated35 3,493]

2 minutes 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.

That statement pretty much covers all media reports ever. 

[Jessicajealousy 23]

2 minutes ago, Levithian said:

Not sure if its just simply the difference between someone being injured/killed, and someone being injured/killed by equipment or machinery, etc. Like, someone having a heart attack or slipping and falling vs something like this.

Industrial accident kinda made the tone sound like it was staff not the public? Do they have scheduled maintenance river rapids? It's a bit dark, but you can see in some of the aerial footage, one of the gondolas is on it's side.

Right, that makes sense. I took it as staff - but it seems unlikely 4 staff were sitting in one boat/raft at that time of day, especially when footage shows other rafts at different sections of the ride.

I would understand it now to be due to ride, not due to a natural cause.

[buzzkill13 19]

5 minutes ago, webslave said:

If you're not a party to said contract then I suggest you're unqualified to give advice.

I am very farmiliar with all of the media contracts for every park on the coast, or I would not have posted it and that is all I'll say, now stay on topic. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by buzzkill13

[webslave 386]

5 minutes 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.

That's because unfortunately that's what the viewers/readers seem to care about.  You can see an example of this here - people are actively checking multiple outlets to see who has the information available first.  Only we can change this, if there's a wish to do so.

[MaxxTheMonster 475]

29 minutes ago, www worker 2.0 said:

We believe the passengers were standing on the raft while it was on the conveyor. Managers along with QPS are currently going over the rides cameras.

 

15 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

I don't believe that comment should be made publicly without 100% confirmed accuracy. People have died, let's not blame or put the onus on them at this point for their sake of their family & friends 

 

11 minutes ago, buzzkill13 said:

I don't believe you should be speaking on behalf of dreamworld as you are not their media representative and clearly are breaching your contract

 

9 minutes ago, webslave said:

If you're not a party to said contract then I suggest you're unqualified to give advice.

Given we know that news channels like to come here and there are currently 50+ members and 1000+ guests viewing the parkz forums I don't think any of our speculation (or supposed information) is necessary at this point...  I am sure we all have our own thoughts, ideas or theories as to what has happened, how and so on but as mentioned above this is most definitely not the time to be posting these when family, friends and staff could be either reading this or the media will take it as fact and report refering to it and that opens another can of worms...

Even on news.com.au Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has said "I urge everyone to show the respect needed as the relevant authorities undertake investigations in to what has occurred."

Edited October 25, 2016 by MaxxTheMonster

[webslave 386]

Terrible situation.  Goes without saying, really, but if I don't spell it out I'm sure someone is sure to get on their wheel about it.

An interesting thing at this early stage is the time lag between event and reporting.  Who does it look like had it first?

[bladex 205]

zomg that's my sisters fav ride too! they will prob shut it down for good now and it'll join eureka..

[XxMrYoshixX 188]

46 minutes ago, Gary86 said:

It opened in December 1986.

 

 

Yes, sorry for that one. Excuse my mess, I must have had it mixed up with the one at Wonderland.

One person, let alone 3 or 4 people dying is really fucking horrifying - it is now the first fatal theme park accident here in Australia since the Ghost Train fire of '79.

Edited October 25, 2016 by XxMrYoshixX
Reasons!

[ashhole157 72]

Just now, MaxxTheMonster said:

Depends on which news outlet you listen to...  According to courier mail this ride was the one closed in April after someone almost drowned...

ABC reporting it

Fucking Australian news.

Edited October 25, 2016 by ashhole157

[bladex 205]

so did one of the rafts get stuck on the conveyor belt and another crashed into it?

[bladex 205]

from abc http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-25/four-people-dead-ride-at-dreamworld-gold-coast/7963880

 

Quote

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."

how could it flip how is this even possible aren't there safety measures?

Edited October 25, 2016 by bladex