Video from the cockpit of one of the helicopters involved in the Sea World tragedy shows a passenger alerting the pilot to the other approaching aircraft.
Footage obtained by Seven News shows the interior of the senior helicopter flying in for the landing – which the pilot was able to stabilize after the impact, allowing everyone on board to escape with minor injuries.
A passenger in the back seat desperately pats the pilot on the right shoulder with increasing urgency.
Four people in the lower helicopter died after it crashed into the Gold Coast Broadwater sandbar on Monday: pilot Ash Jenkinson (40), British citizens Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and Sydney’s mother, Vanessa Tadros (36).
Show photos in the higher placed helicopter before impact (photo)
Simon, Ms Tadros’ grieving husband, asked for prayers for the couple’s son Nicholas, who has undergone several operations at the hospital since the accident.
“I ask everyone to pray that Nicky wakes up and makes a proper recovery,” Tadros said on social media.
“He is in an induced coma on a life support machine to help him breathe (sic).
“He is in a very serious and critical condition. I ask for all your prayers to bring my little man back to me.”
The helicopter, with seven people on board, fell from a great height and landed on a sandbank after its main rotor hit the windshield of a second helicopter and became detached.
How the accident unfolded: A step-by-step guide to what led to the crash that killed four
Nicholas and Vanessa Tadros hold up their Sea World helicopter pass on Monday (pictured)
British newlyweds Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, unfortunately died in the accident
Winnie de Silva (33) and her nine-year-old son Leon were also in the helicopter.
The social worker, originally from Kenya, spoke for the first time on Wednesday about the tragedy that left her son Leon fighting in a coma at the age of nine.
She dreamed of taking her son on a helicopter ride, but just 20 seconds after takeoff she heard a “loud pop” and felt a “tremor” as the main rotor blades slammed through the second helicopter’s cockpit.
“I saw the pilot, stressed, pushing all these buttons – he didn’t know what to do. I don’t remember much (after) but everyone was shaking and worried,” said Ms. de Silva told the Herald Sun.
Terrified as the Eurocopter EC130 began to fall to the ground, she squeezed her son’s hand as hard as she could.
“All I could see was death in my eyes. I didn’t want to see death in my eyes, so I closed them and held my son’s hand by my side,” she said.
Winnie de Silva (33) moved to Australia from Kenya and her son Leon (9) (pictured together) joined a year ago.
Seconds later, the helicopter burst into flames as it crashed into a sandbank.
She remembers opening her eyes when she was trapped in the crumpled debris.
“My feet and right arm got stuck. I remember screaming and shouting for help… I couldn’t get out,” Ms de Silva said.
Soon after, a police officer came to her aid and asked her name and date of birth, but she could not remember.
She suffered two broken bones, severe damage to her left knee, a badly broken right shoulder and a broken collarbone on impact.
Doctors expect her to remain in the Gold Coast University Hospital for several weeks and now faces months of surgery, rehabilitation and recovery.
Ms de Silva has two broken bones, a broken right shoulder, a broken collarbone and a damaged left knee after the Sea World helicopter crash
Her son Leon has a fractured basilar skull and is fighting for his life in hospital
But her horrific injuries pale in comparison to Leon, who moved to Australia just a year ago to be with his mother.
He suffered a fractured skull, brain trauma and facial injuries in the crash and is now in an induced coma at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
The second helicopter’s cockpit was badly damaged, but 52-year-old pilot Michael James was able to land on the sandbar and save the lives of his five passengers, four of whom were injured by broken glass.
Passengers included two New Zealand couples – Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg and Marle and Edward Swart – in their 40s who were traveling together, along with an unnamed West Australian woman.
A second video shows how mr. James, having successfully landed the helicopter, is freeing his passengers from the wreckage, cutting their seat belts with a knife and helping them to their feet.
After the pilot managed to stabilize and land his helicopter, footage shows him pulling his passengers from the wreckage (photo).
Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg’s son (photo) thanked pilot Michael James for landing the plane
Marle and Edward Swart (pictured) from Auckland had minor injuries from the glass, but were otherwise fine
Ms Steenberg said on Facebook on Wednesday: “I am still in the Gold Coast Hospital recovering from my injuries. I can only thank God for sparing us all.’
The Steenberg’s son, Enrico, also shared his relief online, thanking Mr James for his remarkable feat in landing the helicopter.
“Thanks to the pilot who saved my parents from the crash and all the prayers for the family who lost loved ones,” he wrote.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the accident and is focusing on what happened in the two cabins at the time of impact.
Chief Constable Angus Mitchell said Mr. Jenkinson’s plane took off and was in the air for less than 20 seconds before the main rotor blades struck the cockpit of the second helicopter.
Sea World’s two helicopters collided in front of hundreds of Gold Coast holidaymakers
Ash Jenkinson, the helicopter pilot who died in the crash, was originally from Birmingham but lived in the Gold Coast area.
A friend said the pilot was a “quiet hero and gentle giant” who “would have done anything to bring the helicopter down safely”.
“He was a top man with so much experience. He’s flown all kinds of terrain and environments, we’re totally shocked,” said Ritchie Gregg.
Mr. Jenkinson is survived by a wife, young son, and members of his immediate family and hundreds of friends who knew him as “Jenko”.
Gregg recounts when Mr Jenkinson lent his prized helicopter to help victims of the 2022 NSW and Queensland floods.
“It will always be the highlight of my life and just one of your legacies as we helped people flood people. Cheers,” Mr Gregg wrote on Facebook.
Ash Jenkinson (pictured) was behind the controls of the helicopter that crashed into the sandbar
ATSB police officer Angus Mitchell said the investigation into the cause of the crash could take months and praised Mr James for landing his plane.
“Remarkably, the second helicopter that landed managed to land upright and considering the damage to the left front section of this helicopter where the pilot was sitting, this is a remarkable achievement.
“Although it is very tragic that four people lost their lives and many families are grieving, we could have had a much worse situation.”
Mr Mitchell said the “evidence gathering phase” of the ATSB investigation would take about six to eight weeks.
He added: “A final report will be published at the end of the investigation; However, should critical safety issues be identified during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify the relevant parties so that appropriate safety measures can be taken.”
Sea World Helicopters, the affected helicopter company, said it was closing “until further notice”.
A message on the company’s website reads: “Sea World Helicopters has been devastated by the tragic accident on January 2 on the Gold Coast.
“Our sympathy and condolences go out to everyone involved at this very sad time. We are closed until further notice and will refund all tickets purchased.’
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
