Federal senator Sam Dastyari and broadcaster Patricia Karvelas are two of the many friends who have paid tribute to members of a family from Canberra who died in the Dreamworld tragedy yesterday.
Public servants Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozbeh Araghi, were killed alongside a 42-year-old woman, when the Thunder River Rapids ride malfunctioned.
The family has touched many in federal government departments as the siblings worked for the Department of Human Services and Mr Araghi was with the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Senator Dastyari said he was raised alongside “Roozi” Araghi, whose father helped paved the way for his own move from Iran to Australia.
“I’m devastated that such a caring, loving, sweet and sensitive friend has been lost,” Mr Dastyari wrote on Twitter.
“I’m angry that this could happen at a venue like Dreamworld.”
Authorities said the accident occurred when two rafts hit one another at the end of the ride, tipping one backwards.
Two people were flung from the raft and two became trapped on the conveyor belt of the ride, which is marketed as a family-friendly thrill that two-year-olds are allowed on.
A boy and girl, aged 10 and 12, were on the same raft but managed to escape the disaster “through the providence of God or somebody”, Police Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said.
Mr Araghi worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which said in a statement it was devastated, describing him as a hardworking member of the communications team “who brought joy and fun to the workplace”.
He had also edited the University of Sydney student newspaper, Honi Soit, in 2000.
Ms Goodchild and Mr Dorsett worked at the Department of Human Services (DHS).
In a statement, the department said staff were “in mourning after losing two valued employees”.
“Kate and Luke were well-liked and respected by their colleagues and will be greatly missed,” Department of Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell said.
“I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Luke and Kate at this devastating time.”
ABC radio presenter Patricia Karvelas was friends with Mr Araghi and Mr Dorsett, who she said were the most loyal of friends.
“They never missed one of my girls’ birthdays. They never forgot to check in,” she said.
“Words fail me.”
Co-founder of The Chaser, Dominic Knight, who went to university with Mr Araghi, praised his wit and love of music.
“A passionate, funny, brilliant man with an unquenchable love of retro pop,” he wrote on Twitter.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr also offered his personal condolences to the families involved on behalf of all Canberrans, saying many in community had “been impacted by this terrible news”.
The ride will likely remain a crime scene for two or three days, and police said they would not rush how long the investigation would take.
An engineering examination is underway and rafts have been taken away by the forensic team.
This post originally appeared on ABC News.
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