Croc Wrangler Matt Wright relaxes in Top End after ATSB report release

As support flooded in from the community in the wake of an ATSB report, Matt Wright spent the weekend relaxing with family and friends.

After a harrowing week that left as many questions as it provided answers for the Territory icon, Outback Wrangler Matt Wright spent a day winding down with family and friends at a Top End waterhole.

Popular Territory social media figure BoutaNT, who has 16.5k followers on X (formerly Twitter) shared an image with Wright and the croc catcher’s family on Saturday afternoon, hours before the troubled celebrity’s exclusive first sit-down interview with this masthead’s associated publication The Daily Telegraph was published.

Always a great day hanging with Matty, Kaia and Banjo #outbackwrangler@barrelracernt and I are proud to call them good mates. #fuckthehaterspic.twitter.com/rQPvNtqJT7

— BoutaNT (@bouta_nt) November 25, 2023

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau this week raised questions about maintenance on Mr Wright’s company’s Robertson R44 helicopter that crashed after likely running out of fuel, leaving his best friend Chris Wilson dead and pilot Seb Robinson with significant injuries.

However comments on the social media post were largely supportive of the Outbrack Wrangler.

‘Those guys are awesome’, a well-wisher wrote.

‘It was a tragic accident. Media only cares about clickbaits,’ another said.

Mr Wilson died after Mr Robinson made the split-second decision to release the hooks and sling line connecting him to the chopper from a height of about 9m.

Releasing the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s report into the fatal crash, chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said the probe concluded the chopper was likely not refuelled at a fuel depot between Darwin and King River.

Matt Wright relaxes with family and friend in the Top End on Saturday.

Mr Mitchell said in “environments that are cognitively busy” — such as flying in a remote area with your friend dangling from the chopper and hunting for crocodile nests — the warning signs of low fuel were missed.

The investigation also found low levels of cocaine in Mr Robinson’s blood samples, with his alleged drug use in the days earlier possibly contributing to fatigue and inattention.

“The pilot did not identify the reducing fuel state before the helicopter’s engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion,” Mr Mitchell said of the ATSB’s findings.

The ATSB also found the helicopter’s emergency locator transmitter was removed from its mount before the crash, which likely delayed an emergency response.

A tearful Matt Wright told News Corporation this week he and his wife Kaia had been subject to threats, bullying and personal abuse since his “best mate” was killed.