AusLeisure

A former Dreamworld executive has denied obstructing the Queensland Police investigation into the deaths of four people on the Thunder River Rapids ride in October 2016, breaking down while giving evidence at the Coronial inquest.

Giving evidence yesterday, Troy Margetts, who was the General Manager of Park Operations at the time of the tragedy two years ago, became tearful in the witness stand when asked whether he told a staff member not to talk to Police.

In June, Courtney Williams, one of two people running the rapids ride at the time of the fatalities, told the inquest she was instructed by a senior park manager at Dreamworld not to speak to police after the tragedy, but said she later gave a statement to officers at a station.

During cross examination, barrister Toby Nielsen, representing the family of three of the victims, told Margetts that Williams "felt pressured by you".

Nielsen said he would "like to give ( Margetts) an opportunity to respond to that".

Becoming tearful, Margetts stated “my response to that is that did not happen in any way.”

The Coronial inquest into the fatal Thunder River Rapids accident has heard staff were both over-stretched and under-prepared for serious incidents.

Margetts attempted to continue with his response but paused for long periods of time after being overcome with emotion.

He responded "my only conversation regarding that ... sorry ... sorry ... was to ask the officer to remove her from that situation because of where she was ... and because what we were seeing was very traumatic."

Margetts wiped away tears as he responded.

Nielsen, who asked Williams about the event when she gave evidence in June, accepted Margetts' testimony, commenting "Mr Margetts, can I say from my observation of you today, on behalf of myself and the people that I represent, that I wholly accept that explanation.”

Margetts left employment at the Gold Coast theme park in January this year.

The inquiry into the deaths of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett and Roozi Araghi has been sitting for the past fortnight and will resume for two weeks in November.

Image: Dreamworld’s Thunder River Rapids ride in operation prior to the October 2016 fatalities.

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