Australia - 4 people dead on Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride, Gold Coast, 2016

[symbah]

You see more injuries on inflatables than almost any other amusement ride you can think of - more than roller coasters."- Jim Barber, spokesman for the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials




http://www.rideaccidents.com/rapids.html

Have had difficulty finding the manufacturer of this thing anyone?

It is interesting - just an example below - its just like aviation - manufacturers release safety bulletins and stuff untington Train Smoke Stack Heat Protection Bulletin
regarding their Zero Gravity rides dated 9-12-2013 can be downloaded here.
SR-5R-1309-01SR-5R-1309-02SR-5R-1309-02A

The Safety Bulletin regarding the Cliffhanger Drag Link Adjustment can be downloaded HERE!!!!!!!

The Safety Bulletin regarding the Cliffhanger Bearing Base Ear Reinforcement Plates dated 9 November 2010 can be downloadedHERE!!!!!!!

The Safety Bulletin regarding the recent Cliffhanger Incident dated 13 September 2010 can be downloadedHERE!!!!!!!

A letter from Dartron regarding the recent Cliffhanger Incident can be downloaded HERE!!!!!

Dartron has issued a bulletin regarding the bearing base plate inspection on the Cliffhanger. This bulletin will clarify the current requirements for the ride.
You can download it here!! Cliffhanger Bearing Plate Inspection 9-12-2008

Dartron has issued a bulletin regarding car bolt replacement on the Hurricane ride that must be completed by May 1, 2008. Check it out Here!!

Check out this Announcement from Dartron Rides regarding the Cliffhanger and Zero Gravity Rides!!! Dartron Announcement of ConsolidationAdded 24 October 2007

Product Improvement Bulletin Cliff Hanger Car Beds dated January 7, 2007.

Mandatory Service Bulletin Cliff Hanger Bearing Block Cracks dated January 7, 2007.

Safety Bulletin Zero Gravity Strobe Light Covers datedJanuary 7, 2007.

Safety Bulletin Zero Gravity Hat Hardware 9-20-06 dated September 20, 2006

Product Improvement Bulletin PIB-5K-004 Cliff Hanger Spherical Bushing Retainer dated May 16, 2006

Product Improvement Bulletin PIB-5K-005 Hanger Block Bushing and Safety Bolt Replacement dated May 12, 2006


http://www.naarso.com/BULLETINS.html

I think the ride was custom built.
I can only find this:

Thunder River Rapids is believed to have been built in 1986 largely in-house and/or by contracted engineering companies. Scant information exists but it was not built by Intamin, the Swiss company who first developed this style of attraction in the 1980s.
http://www.parkz.com.au/article/201...ified_Thunder_River_Rapids_conveyor_belt.html

 

[symbah]

This poor girl, of course she'd be distraught.

The operators on duty at the time, including an 18-year-old girl who was on her first day of operational training on the ride, have made an emotional return to the scene, providing statements to police.
The teen, who is said to be distraught, was an experienced staffer but it was her first day manning the Thunder River Rapids ride.
She was accompanied by one of the park’s most experienced ride operators, who held the highest possible qualification.
Both have accompanied detectives for a walk-through at the scene. They have also been given grief counselling sessions by Dreamworld.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...y/news-story/61c935d07c9334ea313c7ea1bbb70daf

 

[symbah]

Just heard on 9news that the crash test dummies will be used this afternoon in an re enactment.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/01/06/46/dreamworld-crash-dummies

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...y/news-story/61c935d07c9334ea313c7ea1bbb70daf
A utility transporting several test dummies yesterday arrived at Dreamworld ahead of what is expected to be several days of forensic simulations in a bid to determine exactly what went wrong on the Thunder River Rapids ride last Tuesday afternoon.
Test dummies are commonly used in forensic investigations where issues such as height and weight are crucial to findings.

 

[symbah]

Some insight on CEO Ms Thomas:

Following the share price plunge after her appointment to Ardent last year, Thomas vowed she would concentrate on increasing ticket sales.
“You’re selling an experience, marketing to women, trying to get people to visit more often ... go to the park more often,” the new chief executive said.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...e/news-story/227e88fb70895387ec6e9f82294fd43e

 

[Bohemian]

Some insight on CEO Ms Thomas:

Following the share price plunge after her appointment to Ardent last year, Thomas vowed she would concentrate on increasing ticket sales.
“You’re selling an experience, marketing to women, trying to get people to visit more often ... go to the park more often,” the new chief executive said.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...e/news-story/227e88fb70895387ec6e9f82294fd43e

Another example of the company's incompetence. She should have been employed as their Head of Marketing in that case, not as their CEO.

 

[symbah]

Clearly Ardent's shareholders didn't have the confidence in her running the whole thing. Perhaps the board should of listened to them.

It was March 2015 and Ardent Leisure’s shareholders clearly didn’t agree with the board’s confidence in appointing an Australian fashion icon and A-list socialite to run the nation’s largest entertainment company’s $1.2 billion of assets.
The day of Thomas’s announcement, the sharemarket savaged the company, plunging Ardent’s share price by 30 per cent.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...e/news-story/227e88fb70895387ec6e9f82294fd43e

 

[symbah]

Dreamworld CEO hits back at union claims

It has been one organisation's word against another, with the chief executive of Dreamworld, Craig Davidson, hitting back at the union's claims at least one of its rollercoasters was routinely under-staffed.
"Our processes were approved by the ride manufacturer," Mr Davidson said.
"They were audited and approved by an independent external ride safety expert and they were inspected and approved by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, the regulator.

However, a statement from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland did not match up with Mr Davidson's claims.
"Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland does not approve staffing levels for theme park rides," the statement read.
"Because of the range of factors that must be taken into account, such as number of patrons and competence of staff, the duty is on the person conducting a business or undertaking to assess the risks."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-01/union-criticises-culture-among-dreamworld-inspectors/7982440
BBM

Mr Davidson keeps on talking and making these defensive statements. Is he even aware of whats what? FGS, this is serious.

 

[symbah]

The Thunder River Rapids Ride water pump has been claimed to have failed repeatedly, it has been revealed.
It has also emerged that Dreamworld's operators were considering getting rid of the attraction after four people died on the ride at the Gold Coast theme park last week.
And police were *looking into the water pump as a possible cause for the tragedy, The Australian reported.
They're to meet the pump's manufacturer and state workplace health and saftey officials on Tuesday as investigations into the accident continue.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ids-pump-repeatedly-failed.html#ixzz4OkfTyqGV
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Tear it down please.
As well as the pump, anytime soon it would be good to address the missing slats from the conveyer belt also.

 

[gregjrichards]

The Thunder River Rapids Ride water pump has been claimed to have failed repeatedly, it has been revealed.
It has also emerged that Dreamworld's operators were considering getting rid of the attraction after four people died on the ride at the Gold Coast theme park last week.
And police were *looking into the water pump as a possible cause for the tragedy, The Australian reported.
They're to meet the pump's manufacturer and state workplace health and saftey officials on Tuesday as investigations into the accident continue.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ids-pump-repeatedly-failed.html#ixzz4OkfTyqGV
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Tear it down please.
As well as the pump, anytime soon it would be good to address the missing slats from the conveyer belt also.

The ride must never be reopened and should be torn down ASAP. I cannot imagine people having fun on a ride in which four people had horrifically died through gross corporate negligence.

 

[AmyPond]

My goodness. It almost sounds like years ago people had to board while the boat was slowly moving along to get maximum rider participation. Imagine that. Its like the operator would wait till everyone got off and then told people to jump on while raft slowly moving along. Incredible.

I probably have this pictured all wrong but at least they improved that rotating platform "thingy".

A lot of Disney rides have moving platforms for the loading of rides. At California Adventure in Anaheim, they have a raft ride called Grizzly River Run and it has a large rotating platform before stepping on the boats. It moves at the same speed as the boats. You can probably find video of it on youtube. Maybe it's the same kind of thing.

 

[symbah]

This article goes into why Ardent's initial response to the accident was offensive and why they are having to deal with the media now as a result.
- Ms Thomas should of given up her bonus.
- They didn't elevate to the CEO (instead Mr Davidson was the initial spokesperson).
- Ms Thomas should of flown straight to the disaster.
- They didn't provide immediate and genuine support to the victims and their families.
- They didn't control the message.

http://www.afr.com/leadership/war-g...g-into-full-blown-pr-disaster-20161028-gsd3rr

 

[symbah]

And now, Deborah Thomas and Ardent Leisure are having to deal with & respond to articles like the the one I posted ^ and the like.

Ardent Leisure Group chief executive Deborah Thomas concedes the company botched the public response to four deaths at Dreamworld last week in multiple ways and is vowing to turn the theme park into one of the safest in the world.
Ms Thomas said she wishes last week's Ardent annual meeting hadn't voted her a long and medium-term incentive package potentially worth $860,000 two days after the tragedy, a move that drew massive public criticism.
She said she wished she had pushed the Queensland police harder to put her in contact with the grieving families, who complained they didn't hear from the company in the immediate aftermath of the deaths.


Read more: http://www.afr.com/business/tourism...mworld-response-20161101-gsfl66#ixzz4On4eLRXL
Follow us: @FinancialReview on Twitter | financialreview on Facebook

 

[Bohemian]

And now, Deborah Thomas and Ardent Leisure are having to deal with & respond to articles like the the one I posted ^ and the like.

Ardent Leisure Group chief executive Deborah Thomas concedes the company botched the public response to four deaths at Dreamworld last week in multiple ways and is vowing to turn the theme park into one of the safest in the world.
Ms Thomas said she wishes last week's Ardent annual meeting hadn't voted her a long and medium-term incentive package potentially worth $860,000 two days after the tragedy, a move that drew massive public criticism.
She said she wished she had pushed the Queensland police harder to put her in contact with the grieving families, who complained they didn't hear from the company in the immediate aftermath of the deaths.


Read more: http://www.afr.com/business/tourism...mworld-response-20161101-gsfl66#ixzz4On4eLRXL
Follow us: @FinancialReview on Twitter | financialreview on Facebook

If wishes were fishes...

Of course it's everyone else's fault. Not her management and their toadies for being incompetent or out of touch. Now it's been reported she's had 'death threats' on Ardent's SM. Oh, cry me a river (no pun intended)...

 

[symbah]

If wishes were fishes...

Of course it's everyone else's fault. Not her management and their toadies for being incompetent or out of touch. Now it's been reported she's had 'death threats' on Ardent's SM. Oh, cry me a river (no pun intended)...

Yes Bohemian, the arrogance and insult is still showing through.
I feel so badly for the victim's families and friends

 

[symbah]

BBM

A coroner believes the investigation into the deaths of four people on a Dreamworld water ride could take months, but is hopeful of holding an inquest next year.
Coroner James McDougall joined detectives at the Gold Coast theme park today for a re-enactment of last week's tragedy on the Thunder River Rapids Ride.
Mr McDougall said the re-enactment, which involved the use of weighted crash test dummies in one of the ride's rafts, gave him an insight into the crash.
"It was all very complicated," he said.
"The investigation is going extremely well.
"It will take a long time ... months, I'd say."

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ek-on-dreamworld-s-future#Bp875hPzyfbDcVdt.99

 

[symbah]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...truggle-ahead-of-funeral-20161102-gsg8yy.html

Ten days after Sydney mother Cindy Low was killed in the Dreamworld ride disaster, her family say they are still struggling to "put one foot in front of the other".
The 42-year-old, originally from Kawerau in New Zealand, will be farewelled in a private funeral at Palmdale, on the Central Coast, on Thursday afternoon.

 

[symbah]

I'm sorry. I can't help it. That I keep bringing this information to the Websleuth's table. I'm just so angry at this company that didn't take safety warnings seriously. That didn't do their job properly. That profit was all . All suffering now so totally avoidable. Its such a massive disgrace.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...g-home-fathers-emotional-statement-dreamworld
The family from Canberra is now make preparations for the funerals.
"To say this is just not fair, doesn't begin to express our despair."
Mr Goodchild thanked the public for their support and says he wants to wait for the coronial inquest, before commenting on the actions of Dreamworld.
"Like everyone else in Australia, we want to know what went wrong we want to know why our loved ones were taken from us in such horrific circumstances."
Mr Goodchild asked Dreamworld to contact his solicitor if they want to make any further contact with the family.

 

[Bohemian]

I'm sorry. I can't help it. That I keep bringing this information to the Websleuth's table. I'm just so angry at this company that didn't take safety warnings seriously. That didn't do their job properly. That profit was all . All suffering now so totally avoidable. Its such a massive disgrace.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...g-home-fathers-emotional-statement-dreamworld
The family from Canberra is now make preparations for the funerals.
"To say this is just not fair, doesn't begin to express our despair."
Mr Goodchild thanked the public for their support and says he wants to wait for the coronial inquest, before commenting on the actions of Dreamworld.
"Like everyone else in Australia, we want to know what went wrong we want to know why our loved ones were taken from us in such horrific circumstances."
Mr Goodchild asked Dreamworld to contact his solicitor if they want to make any further contact with the family.

Don't worry about it, symbah. I'm sure everyone appreciates your updates. I agree with your sentiments - an absolute disgrace. From the amount of tributes left outside and the tone of the comments on SM I'd say many people are grief-stricken and angry. As a result, heads will roll.

 

[CARIIS]

And now, Deborah Thomas and Ardent Leisure are having to deal with & respond to articles like the the one I posted ^ and the like.

Ardent Leisure Group chief executive Deborah Thomas concedes the company botched the public response to four deaths at Dreamworld last week in multiple ways and is vowing to turn the theme park into one of the safest in the world.
Ms Thomas said she wishes last week's Ardent annual meeting hadn't voted her a long and medium-term incentive package potentially worth $860,000 two days after the tragedy, a move that drew massive public criticism.
She said she wished she had pushed the Queensland police harder to put her in contact with the grieving families, who complained they didn't hear from the company in the immediate aftermath of the deaths.


Read more: http://www.afr.com/business/tourism...mworld-response-20161101-gsfl66#ixzz4On4eLRXL
Follow us: @FinancialReview on Twitter | financialreview on Facebook

she wishes last week's Ardent annual meeting hadn't voted her a long and medium-term incentive package potentially worth $860,000

you can somehow get it to the victims families then! Ha

Thats credible darn I wish I did not get close to a million bucks - noone in there sane mind would ever beleive such a statement

 

[Hatfield]

she wishes last week's Ardent annual meeting hadn't voted her a long and medium-term incentive package potentially worth $860,000

you can somehow get it to the victims families then! Ha

Thats credible darn I wish I did not get close to a million bucks - noone in there sane mind would ever beleive such a statement

And this is just the incentive package she is offered which means if she made the company hit certain goals by certain dates then she gets this extra money ON TOP of her normal and probably outrageous salary.

Companies keep giving CEOs these huge dollars in spite of how bad the companies do and so many examples we have seen that even if a company does lousy then they give the CEO even more money to walk away so they can hire a new one.

It boggles the mind and there is so much truth to the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer.