To the surprise and horror of people sunbathing or bathing in the sea, two helicopters collided in Australia over a tourist area, leaving the tragic toll of four dead passengers and at least three seriously injured.
The accident occurred on Monday afternoon in the middle of the summer holidays, when one of the devices was taking off and the other was landing near the sea world theme park at Main Beach, a beach on the northern Gold Coast, said Gary Worrell, an acting inspector with the Queensland State Police.
one of the helicopters landed without problems on a sandbar, but the remains of the other they were missing through an area that police described as difficult to access.
“It’s a tough scene,” Worrell said. “Because of the area it’s in, on a sandbar, it was difficult to access for our emergency services to get to the scene to handle it properly.”
The deceased and the three most seriously injured they were all passengers of the crashed helicopter.
Five of the six people on the other plane, which made an emergency landing, they sustained minor injuries.
The Australian Transport Safety Office is investigating the collision, which occurred around 2pm local time.
“Members of the public and police have been trying to get people out and they have started first responders and trying to get those people to safety from an inverted fuselage,” Worrell said.
(People on) jet skis, families on boats, ordinary members of the public rushed to help these people, he added.
The passengers of the other helicopter, which lost its windshield in the crash, are also receiving medical attention.
Footage of the incident showed a helicopter was rammed shortly after takeoff for another helicopter flying above the water.
Sea World Helicopters, a company independent of the theme park, expressed its condolences and said it was cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.
The two helicopters crashed near a tourist strip known as Main Beach, approx 75 kilometers south of Brisbane.
Images from the crash site show wreckage strewn about the area and a wrecked helicopter apparently upside down in front of the Seaworld complex.
The other helicopter has the famous marine park’s logo on its fuselage and appears to have made an emergency landing after the collision.
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As reported by the BBC, investigators from the ATSB offices in Brisbane and Canberra were sent to the scene to gather evidence, examine the remains and interview witnesses.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell also asked eyewitnesses who saw the collision or the helicopters in flight to contact investigators.
A preliminary report will be published in the next six to eight weeks, followed by a final report once the investigation is complete, he added.
The Gold Coast region is currently in its peak tourist season, with children on their summer holidays.
Source: Associated Press and BBC News
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.