NT chopper crash: GoFundMe raises more than $6k for injured passenger

Donations from Australians all over the country are supporting Victorian hairdresser Craig Withers who was injured in a horror tourism chopper crash.

THE smell of fuel, screams for help and excruciating pain.

Those are the memories that still haunt Craig Withers following his near-death experience on an sightseeing helicopter adventure in the NT.

The Victorian hairdresser was on a rare holiday in the Top End on May 16 when the chopper he and three other people were flying in crashed in a remote area near Lorella Springs.

Miraculously, all three passengers and the pilot survived.

But Mr Withers was left with serious injuries, requiring several operations, and remained in hospital for more than three weeks.

His partner Vanessa Withers has started a GoFundMe to help Mr Withers with his recovery.

“The focus is to minimise the financial impact throughout this incredibly challenging time by assisting with rent, mortgage, and related costs not covered by insurance,” she wrote.

So far the fundraiser has raised $6800 of its $100,000 goal.

Ms Withers said she hoped that the money raised would assist Craig’s business, Urban Escape, while he was off his feet.

“Fingers crossed, with time and space, he can recover back to a level where he can once again contribute, in some way, to the hairdressing community,” she said.

“An industry to which he has dedicated the last 29yrs of his life too, and would happily do another 29.”

Craig Withers spent three weeks in the Royal Darwin Hospital following the helicopter crash. Picture: GoFundMe

Ms Withers said the rehabilitation would occur over at least the next six months.

She said the worst of his injuries included a broken back in six places, nine broken and displaced ribs, two collapsed lungs, sheering of his spinal cord and sever psychological trauma.

You can donate to his GoFundMe here: Craig's fundraiser