Sea World Helicopters crash: How families of victims and witnesses reacted to final ATSB report
The daughter of a UK tourist, who died in the 2023 Sea World Helicopters crash alongside his wife says the final report into the tragedy is a difficult read. HER WORDS
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Jane Manns, the daughter of UK tourist Ron Hughes, who died in the 2023 Sea World Helicopters crash alongside his wife Diane says the final report into the tragedy is a difficult read.
The Gold Coast-based Ms Manns spoke on behalf of her family and thanked the Air Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) for its investigation into the horror collision between two helicopters on January 2, 2023.
The final report was released on Wednesday and revealed a “cascading series of failures” which led to the crash.
Ms Manns, whose father was on holidays with his wife on the Gold Coast at the time of the collision, asked for privacy while they digested the report’s findings.
“There is a lot to process from the findings, but it has answered some of the questions we’ve had over the past couple of years,” she said.
“Understandably, parts of the report are upsetting to read and it’s been very difficult reliving the traumatic events of that day.
“We hope the upcoming coronial inquest will provide further answers and in time, help bring some closure for our family.
“The past couple of years have been incredibly tough, not an hour goes by that we don’t think of them and the devastation of that day.
“We ask for privacy at this time and won’t be making any further comment.”
Mr Hughes and Diane, his new bride of 18 months, arrived on the Gold Coast for a holiday ready to catch up on lost time with family after two years of Covid-enforced border closures.
Mr Hughes and his wife were from Neston, Cheshire, a small village just outside Liverpool in northwest England and had long wanted to return to the Gold Coast again.
The Hughes had planned to take their helicopter ride two days after the fatal flight on January 4 but decided to advance their plans.
The ATSB released the report on Wednesday morning detailing its conclusions on how the two joy flight choppers collided, killing four people and injuring nine others.
Among those who witnessed the crash was Blue Mountains resident Amii McDermott who was at nearby Sea World theme park waiting in line for the Vortex ride when she heard the noise of a helicopter’s rotors and looked up.
The NSW mother, speaking on Wednesday, welcomed the release of the report but said her mind returned to the events of January 2 every time she heard a helicopter fly past.
“It was a horrible thing and we still cannot believe we were there in that spot at that moment,” she said.
“I’m glad we are finally finding out what happened so we can put the whole thing to rest, it’s been a long time.
“I don’t think about it all the time like I used to but when I see helicopters, which is often given I work at a hospital and they land on our roof, it does go through my head.
“Thankfully it doesn’t fill me with as much dread as it used to.”
Another witness who watched the helicopters collide two years ago said she was not prepared to relive the horror.
She was watching her young son play in the rock pools at Broadwater Parklands at the time of the incident, and two years on she didn’t want to reminisce.
“I’m glad they’ve reached some kind of conclusion,” she said.
Those who died in the collision included the Hughes, Sydney woman Vanessa Tadros and Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson.
The other pilot, Michael James, who was hailed a hero for miraculously successfully managing to land his crippled chopper in the aftermath of the collision, died of cancer in 2024.
Among those injured were Victorian tourist Winnie de Silva, her then-nine-year-old son Leon and then-10-year-old Nicholas Tardos who lost his right leg.
The report has been handed down more than 15 months after an interim report was released on the one-year anniversary of the crash.
The January 2, 2023 mid-air collision was one of the darkest days in the Gold Coast’s history and Australian aviation history.
Pilot Ash Jenkinson was at the controls of a Sea World Helicopters craft which hit another Sea World Helicopter, piloted by Mr James, as Mr James coming in to land just after 2pm.
The main rotor of Mr Jenkinson’s helicopter hit the front of Mr James’ fuselage, shattering the canopy and showering Mr James and his passengers in glass.
Mr James, against all odds and hailed as an incredible feat of airmanship, was able to land his Airbus Eurocopter, getting his passengers back on the ground.
Mr Jenkinson’s rotor sheared off in the collision, causing Mr Jenkinson’s crippled helicopter to plummet to the ground.
Investigators interviewed the survivors, as well as more than 80 witnesses, including first responders.
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