Witness describes 'horrific' sight before woman falls 30m from amusement ride
A shocked onlooker has recalled the moment she saw a woman slip from a moving ride and plunge 30 metres to the ground below.
The 25-year-old woman sustained traumatic injuries after falling from The Hangover ride at Showfest in Cairns, Far North Queensland, about 5.30pm (AEST) on Saturday.
One member of the crowd to watch the ordeal unfold was Bonnie Thistle, who told NCA NewsWire the ride had only just started when the woman began to slip from her seat.
Ms Thistle told her partner, “this chick’s already out of the ride”, after noticing the woman’s legs and hips weren’t inside her carriage.
She then looked away for “two seconds” and when she turned back, “the seat was empty”, she told the publication.
The injured woman was next seen lying at the base of the ride, bleeding from her head, according to Ms Thistle.
“It was horrific,” she said.
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A shocking video published by 9News captured the moment the woman fell from the ride and landed at the base amongst its machinery, with passengers still on board heard yelling.
One alarmed onlooker shouted,“Oh my god, we need an ambulance”, while others rushed to the bottom of the ride in desperate attempts to reach the victim.
Despite the unfolding ordeal, the ride continued operating with music playing before it was eventually stopped.
The 25-year-old was taken to Cairns Hospital, where she remains in a stable condition, Detective Senior Constable Liz Stallard said on Tuesday.
She urged anyone who recorded the accident or were on the ride when it happened to contact police.
“We are gathering statements from people who were present on the day,” Det Snr Const Stallard said.
“Anybody who may have had concerns who went on the ride. Any safety concerns they may have had.”
The Hangover ride remains a crime scene at the showgrounds while Forensic Crash Investigators and Workplace Health and Safety investigate.
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