Sixth child dies in Australian jumping castle tragedy

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MELBOURNE (Reuters) – An 11-year-old boy died on Sunday in a castle-jumping accident four days ago on the Australian island of Tasmania, police said, bringing the death toll from the tragedy to six children.

Children fell 10 meters (33 feet) to the ground after an inflatable castle was lifted into the air in gusting winds at an end-of-year celebration at an elementary school in Devonport, in the northwest of the state, on Thursday.

“We are all feeling this terrible loss,” Tasmanian Prime Minister Peter Gutwin told a news conference.

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Three boys and one 12-year-old girl and one 11-year-old boy and girl have now lost their lives. Police said two children remain in critical condition, and one is recovering at home.

Police said it was too early to say when they would complete the investigation into the cause of the accident and they need to respect the grieving families and the school community.

“We don’t want to rush it, but we also understand that the community wants answers,” Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Heine told reporters.

The state called in the help of the New South Wales State Police to help interview the other 5th and 6th graders who were at the event.

An online fundraiser to support the families of the victims has raised nearly A$1.3 million (US$926,000) over the past three days from people across the country and abroad.

(1 dollar = 1.4037 Australian dollars)

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Sonali Paul reports; Editing by Michael Perry

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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