Wrangler star Matt Wright: it’s hard to grieve Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright says police are investigating the fatal chopper crash that killed Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson because ‘probably some of the stuff that we did at the site’ went against ‘police protocol’.

Matt Wright.

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright says police are investigating the fatal chopper crash that killed cast member Chris “Willow” Wilson because “probably some of the stuff that we did at the site” went against “police protocol”, while singling out the actions of the cop who flew to the scene with him.

Wright – who has since been charged in relation to the fatal crash – said that in Australia “there’s a bit of chat” about the criminal investigation into the incident. “It’s because we were first on scene,” he said.

“We had to cover his body and load him into the flight, into the rescue chopper and stuff, so you know, the police are investigating.

“It’s ongoing investigations, you know, it will take its course over time and the cops will get what they want to get and we’ll move on but yeah it’s a bit shitty because it’s hard to grieve Willow when the cops are trying to do an investigation at the same time.”

His comments came during an interview with US podcast The Bailey Show to promote his new Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.

The Australian understands the podcast interview, published on YouTube last month, was recorded in October.

This comes as Wright’s lawyers return to the Darwin Local Court on Friday to argue that their client’s bail conditions should be relaxed. The celebrity croc-wrangler’s matter was also briefly mentioned on Wednesday but the father-of-four was not required to attend court.

Earlier this week, his wife Kaia shared photos and videos on social media of their family’s summer holiday aboard luxury 40m yacht Southern Cloud.

An Instagram reel showed the family fishing, swimming, wakeboarding and relaxing with friends while cruising on the three-masted Bermuda-rigged schooner, which costs about $85,000 a week to hire.

It has been almost a year since Wilson, 34, was killed when the helicopter he was dangling from crashed on the King River in a remote part of West Arnhem Land during a crocodile egg collecting mission.

The destroyed R44 Raven II, registered VH-IDW, was owned and operated by Wright’s company Helibrook.

Wright flew to the scene immediately after the February 28 crash with Darwin publican Mick Burns, who owns the crocodile egg harvesting business, and former senior police officer Neil Mellon.

Northern Territory Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and NT WorkSafe are still investigating the fatal crash.

During the podcast interview Wright told host Jason Bailey the ongoing scrutiny had taken a toll.

“You don’t get a rest and, you know, the family don’t get a rest because, you know, he was a public figure and as soon as something like this happens that’s all they want to sort of harp on, that is, you know, on his profile and obviously mine as well,” he said.

Bailey told Wright he was confused about why police were investigating “an accident”.

“Yeah that’s right and we don’t understand that either so we’re just working with them now,” Wright said.

“A lot of it, because there was a copper there, he didn’t probably do exactly what cops were meant to do and it was in the middle of the bush. Other cops weren’t there so they’re trying to work out what was going on.”

Wright, 43, said he was “not sure” about the correct protocol to follow at a crash site.

“That sort of thing’s still new to me,” he said.

“We’re learning a lot through this … what you can do and what you can’t do in an accident site and, unfortunately, probably some of the stuff that we did at the site wasn’t in protocol to what the police would have wanted us to do and that’s what they’re looking into.”

Since August, Mellon, Wright and another man – pilot Michael Burbidge – have all been charged with serious criminal offences related to the major crash investigation, including making false statements, destroying evidence and either conspiring or attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Wright told Bailey the fatal crash remained hard to discuss.

“It is a big sore point for us, our family, our friends,” he said. “He left behind his wife and a couple of kids. It’s tough but we’re working through it and … it’s just one of those things unfortunately.

“We deal with these machines every day of our life and you don’t sort of expect the unexpected.”

In late August, the reality television star and his family relocated from Darwin to the Gold Coast, where he remains on bail.

Mellon, Burbidge and Wright are all due back in court on March 9 for a preliminary examination mention.