‘My whole family has been wiped out’
The devastated mother of two victims of the Dreamworld theme park tragedy says her family has been wiped out following their deaths on the Thunder River Rapids ride.
Kim Dorsett’s two children, Kate Goodchild, 32, and Luke Dorsett, 35, from Canberra, were among four people killed when their raft flipped over on the popular ride on Tuesday afternoon.
Also killed was Mr Dorsett’s partner, Roozbeh Araghi, 38, and 42-year-old Cindy Low, of Sydney but originally from Kawerau.
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said two children, aged 10 and 13, were also on the ride and were injured when they were thrown from the raft. Both are recovering in hospital and it was ‘‘almost a miracle’’ they had survived, he said.
Ms Dorsett, who was holidaying in Queensland from Canberra with her children, told News Corp Australia she was absolutely devastated at the deaths of her wonderful children.
She said they had decided to visit Dreamworld, Australia’s largest theme park, after extending their holiday.
‘‘I have three children and have lost two of them today - my whole family has been wiped out,’’ she said. ’’They really were just wonderful people - that would be the best way to describe them. They were kind, loving souls that would honestly do anything for anyone.’’
Ms Goodchild had two daughters, aged 12 and eight months, and the older girl is believed to have been at the theme park when the tragedy occurred.
‘‘Like me, she [the older daughter] is still coming to terms with it all but she is completely devastated - she is blaming herself for what has happened,’’ Ms Dorsett said.
‘‘She has had a truly terrible day, she is going through unimaginable pain at the moment. I’m at a loss as to how to deal with this now - I woke up this morning with three children and tomorrow I am only going to have one left.
‘‘I have two granddaughters ... and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum.’’
Cindy Low, the other woman killed in the accident, was originally from Kawerau but had lived in Sydney for at least the past 10 years with her Kiwi husband.
They had two children - a boy, 10, and a girl, 6 - and the family was on holiday in Queensland at the time.
Dreamworld will remain closed as police examine how the accident happened.
Police have confirmed the tragedy was captured on CCTV camera, and detectives were reviewing that footage.
Thunder River Rapids is presently Australia’s only river rapids ride and opened in December 1986. Passengers sit in circular sixperson rafts as they travel along a man-made river at speeds of up to 45km/h. Dreamworld described Thunder River Rapids as a ‘‘moderate thrill’’ ride, which has a minimum age restriction of two years for riders.
Assistant Commissioner Codd said he had watched CCTV footage of the accident, which occurred when the thrill ride was coming to an end.
‘‘From what I’ve seen, it’s almost a miracle that anybody came out of that,’’ Codd said.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said there would be a thorough investigation.
‘‘Theme parks are a place for family fun and happiness, not tragedy,’’ Turnbull said.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was a ‘‘dark day’’ in the state’s history.
Ms Palaszczuk could not confirm the ages of the children who were injured in the accident, but said that both were in the Gold Coast University Hospital. - Fairfax