Dreamworld Australia Cancels Reopening as Investigation Continues Into 4 Deaths

Police say having guests in the park will contaminate the scene.

ByABC News
October 27, 2016, 2:15 AM

— -- A theme park in Australia has cancelled its planned reopening this weekend after police said that having guests inside the park could interfere with their investigation into the accident that killed four people on Tuesday, 9 News Australia reported.

"Postponing the service will give the Queensland Police Service the time it needs to conduct this investigation," the park, Dreamworld Australia, said in a statement.

Two women, aged 42 and 32, and two men, aged 38 and 35, were killed Tuesday after a raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the amusement park on Queensland’s Gold Coast turned over on its conveyor belt, police said. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by today’s accident,” the park said in a statement following the incident. “Our hearts and thoughts go to the families involved and their loved ones.”

After the tragedy, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay decided on Tuesday to shut down its Congo River Rapids ride which park officials say is similar to the ride in Australia. Park officials said the Congo River Rapids ride was closed “out of an abundance of caution” while they work to understand what happened in Australia, according to The Associated Press.

ABC News' Morgan Winsor and Dominick Proto contributed to this report.

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