Authorities reveal horror details in dual helicopter crash that killed four people
Authorities have revealed details about how two helicopters collided hundreds of metres in the air, leading to the deaths of four people.
Emergency Services
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Authorities have explained how a “devastating” collision unfolded between two helicopters near a Gold Coast theme park.
Four people were killed in the tragic incident on Monday at about 2pm.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell told reporters on Tuesday one helicopter with seven people on board was taking off when its main rotors collided with a landing helicopter with six people on board, causing “considerable damage”.
The main rotor blade and gearbox of the “taking-off” helicopter separated from the aircraft, causing it to plunge at least 200m onto the sandbar.
The second “landing” helicopter was “remarkably” able to land upright on the sandbar despite “considerable damage” to the front of the aircraft.
“It was a remarkable job considering the damage that was done to the front-left hand part of the aircraft where the pilot was sitting,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We could have had a far worse situation here.
The six passengers - including the pilot - were treated for minor injuries and have since been discharged from hospital.
“What we do need to know now is, what was occurring inside those cockpits.”
Four passengers died in crash
Four passengers - including pilot Ash Jenkinson – were killed when the helicopter they were in crashed to the sandbank below.
Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, a newlywed British couple visiting a loved one on the Gold Coast were among those killed in the crash.
They had been married for little more than a year.
Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, boarded the flight with her 10-year-old son Nicholas.
She did not survive and her son remains in a critical condition at Gold Coast University hospital.
A 35-year-old mother and a nine-year-old boy travelling from Geelong West in Victoria remain in serious condition in hospital.
“A big guy with a big heart”
Andy Taylor, a close friend of Mr Jenkinson, said he discovered the horrifying news on social media.
“I tried to ring Ash straight away,” he said.
“At first the phone was dead and then it went to the voicemail.”
He described Mr Jenkinson as “a big guy with a big heart,” who helped out during the height of the NSW Northern Rivers’ flood crisis last year.
“He did a lot of charity work, we did the floods down in Ballina and saved a lot of people,” Mr Taylor told Sunrise on Tuesday.
The pilot transported food, water and other essential items to flood survivors who were cut off from their community for days.
“He is the best of the best. I don’t know what else to say.”
Mr Jenkinson was the chief pilot at Sea World helicopters and “loved” his job, according to Mr Taylor, who spent a lot of time in the air with him.
“He was so good at what he did. He was on point, I don‘t understand what’s happened,” Mr Taylor said.
“It was his life. It was everything to him.
“I don’t think he had any other hobbies. That was it. That was everything for him.”
The respected pilot is survived by his wife and a one-year-old child.
“Above all, he was a family man. He loved his family, loved his baby,” Mr Taylor said.
“His family was certainly first. Helicopter second. But they were the two passions of his life.”
Authorities worked hard through Tuesday morning to recover the helicopters from the sandbar before the tide rose.
“The tide has come up overnight, while we did get a lot of that perishable evidence and (electronic recording equipment) off the site last night,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We now have a painstaking job of trying to recreate exactly what occurred in the lead up to this tragic start to the New Year.”
Flying community are devastated
Mr Jenkinson’s employer released a statement expressing its condolences for all the victims of the incident.
“Sea World Helicopters has expressed its shock and deepest sympathy for those involved in the Sea World helicopter accident on the Gold Coast,” a spokesman said.
“We and the entire flying community are devastated by what has happened and our sincere condolences go to all those involved, and especially the loved ones and family of the deceased.
“We are co-operating with all the authorities, including the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Queensland Police. As it is now a police investigation we cannot provide any further information at this stage.”
Another QLD tragedy
It has been a busy month for emergency services after multiple tragic fatalities in Queensland grabbed the nation’s attention.
“It has been a really terrible start to the year,” Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told reporters near the crash site at Broadwater.
“I had my executive team together this morning and we just spoke about how incredibly difficult these last few weeks have been.”
Two young police officers, Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold and civilian Alan Dare were executed in a horrifying ambush on a remote property in early December.
Then on Boxing Day, mother-of-two Emma Lovell was allegedly fatally stabbed in her home while defending her family from home invaders.
“And that’s just the stuff that the public sees at that level,” Ms Carroll said.
“It has been incredibly busy over the last few weeks.”
Originally published as Authorities reveal horror details in dual helicopter crash that killed four people
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