Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, Kaia Wright to receive NT WorkSafe summary of Top End Safari Camp airboat crash
A NT reality television star and his wife will soon be handed a summary of an alleged serious airboat crash in croc-infested waters, which injured eight tourists.
Police & Courts
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A Territory reality television star and his insta-famous wife will soon be handed the gory details of an airboat crash which fractured a woman’s skull.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, Kaia Wright and their company Top End Safari Camp have each been charged with failing to comply with their health and safety duty following an airboat crash in May 2023.
On Thursday NT WorkSafe Director Peggy Cheong told the Darwin Local Court that a full brief about the crash was nearing completion, and would be handed to the celebrity couple in the coming days.
WorkSafe has previously alleged 26 tourists were on a day-tour with Top End Safari Camp, which used two airboats to tour the crocodile-infested waters of the Finniss River, 127km southwest of Darwin.
It is alleged one of the airboats crashed into a semi-submerged tree at Sweets Lagoon around 11am, throwing all 13 passengers from their seats.
Eight of those passengers were injured as a result, with one woman suffering a fractured skull and significant scalp laceration while another woman was left with a leg injury.
WorkSafe has alleged the airboat operated without any seat belts, lifejackets, a lifebuoy, or a first aid kit on-board, and the airboat’s radio was not working on the day of the incident.
Despite having Top End Safari Camp developing a safety management system in 2021, it is alleged the risk assessment plans were not implemented.
It was also alleged the airboat was overloaded, with the Wrights exceeding the maximum on-board passenger limit.
If found guilty, Top End Safari Camp could face a maximum penalty of $4m, while the Wrights could each face a $700,000 fine.
In a brief three-minute hearing before Judge Therese Austin, the Wrights barrister Giles O’Brien-Hartcher asked for an adjournment until February, to allow time for the WorkSafe brief to be handed over and assessed.
Ms Austin adjourned the hearing until February 26, 2025.
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