Adelene, who had been on holiday in Australia at the time, was thrown off the ride and landed headfirst after she slipped out of her seat’s restraints in September that year.

The Daily Mail reported that the Adelaide’s Coroner’s Court was told the ride’s machinery was in poor condition, with damaged and worn-out components.

Specialist engineer Peter Kroon, an expert witness at the inquiry, told the court yesterday that among the issues were insufficient safety harnesses and wrongly installed sensors, which were meant to ensure ride-goers were secured in their seats.

“The shortcomings allowed her to be thrown from the ride, at around 100km/h, before landing headfirst,” said the report, adding that thousands of people had gone on the ride before the incident involving Adelene.

The report quoted Kroon as saying it was “unusual” that the AirMaxx 360 ride was wired to start without all patrons being properly secured.

Kroon said the sensors on one ride had been damaged and would indicate that the passenger harness was in place, regardless of the harness’ position, it said.

He also said checks found that bolts meant to hold the harness were loose and that the ride’s hydraulic fluid had been contaminated with “very large contaminants”.

“To see such obvious materials in the fluid is quite significant. It says we’ve got a real problem,” the report quoted him as telling the court.