Sea World Helicopters agrees to settlement with widow of pilot killed in crash
The widow of a Sea World helicopter pilot killed in the 2023 mid-air collision has agreed to a damages settlement with the company for herself and their toddler son.
The widow of the pilot killed in the Sea World chopper disaster has agreed to a damages settlement for the couple’s son and herself.
The tragic mid-air two helicopter collision at Sea World on January 2, 2023 killed four people including Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ashley Jenkinson.
His partner Kosha Richardson-Johnson and Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd have agreed to settle a negligent damages claim without litigating the matter in court, pending the court’s sanctioning of the settlement as it relates to the couple’s son Kayden, who was a toddler when his father was killed.
The Supreme Court’s Justice Sean Cooper was on Friday asked to sanction the settlement as it related to Kayden as well as the apportionment of damages between him and his mother.
He is set to receive 30 per cent of the settlement figure, which was not revealed in court, to be managed by the Queensland Public Trustee until he turns 18, with Ms Richardson-Johnson receiving the balance.
“The claim relates to damages in negligence brought against the respondent Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd resulting in the death of Mr Jenkinson,” Justice Cooper said.
“The allegations of negligence relate to poor work practices and a lack of reasonable safety precautions, which are alleged to have resulted in the mid-air helicopter collision in which Mr Jenkinson died.”
Justice Cooper said when sanctioning a settlement for a child the court must consider whether it is in their benefit and whether the apportionment is appropriate.
“I’ve had regard to what is set out in (legal) advice both as to the expected quantum of the claim, if it were to proceed and succeed at trial the likely expense of pursuing the claim to trial,” he said.
“And issues concerning liability, the liability of the respondent, including arguments as to contributory negligence on the part of Mr Jenkinson.”
“Ms Richardson-Johnson has received advice about all of those matters and has formed the view that is in Kayden’s best interest that the matter be resolved on the basis that has been agreed between the parties.”
Justice Cooper said he too was satisfied it was in the best interests of the child and made the orders sought.
The settlement comes amid a coronial examination of the air tragedy in which Mr Jenkinson’s passengers Diane and Ron Hughes of England and Vanessa Tadros also died.
Counsel assisting Ian Harvey told the Brisbane inquest that footage pointed to the inescapable conclusion that neither pilot saw the other.
A damning 200-page report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau earlier this year found a series of “compounding risk failures” including faulty radio equipment and flawed safety systems had contributed to the crash.
This was contrasted by part time pilot and air traffic controller Jackson Simm’s coronial evidence on Wednesday that Sea World Helicopters was “by far the most procedural operator” he had worked for.
The inquest continues Monday.
Originally published as Sea World Helicopters agrees to settlement with widow of pilot killed in crash
