Gold Coast helicopter crash: Four dead, three critical after crash near Sea World

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Four people have been killed and three are fighting for their lives after two helicopters collided near SeaWorld theme park in Queensland.

It appears one of the planes was taking off while the other was landing when they crashed into Maine Beach on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Witnesses described seeing the crash while queuing for rides at a nearby amusement park, with one of the helicopters “going down to the ground nose first”.

Helicopters crashed into a sandbar

(AP)

One of the helicopters landed safely on a sandbank, but the wreckage of the other was scattered in an area police described as difficult to reach. The four dead and the third seriously injured were the occupants of the crashed helicopter.

“Members of the public and police tried to remove people, started first aid and tried to get these people to safety from the airframe, which was turned upside down,” Acting Inspector Gary Worrell of the Queensland Police Service told a news conference. “[People on] Jet skis, family boaters, and ordinary members of the public rushed to help these people.”

The occupants of the other helicopter, which lost its windshield in the crash, are also receiving medical assistance.

A witness named John told Melbourne radio station 3AW that patrons at SeaWorld heard the incident. He said park employees moved quickly to seal off areas closest to the scene.

Four people were killed in the accident and three are in critical condition

(AP)

“There was a massive, massive explosion,” he said. “It was just huge. I’m not sure if it was the propellers or anything hitting each other. But there was this poor lady and her son near the airstrip crying.”

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) chief Angus Mitchell confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the crash was ongoing.

“Transport safety investigators with experience in helicopter operations, maintenance engineering and survival are deployed from the ATSB offices in Brisbane and Canberra and are expected to begin arriving at the accident site from Monday afternoon,” he said in a statement.

“During the evidence gathering phase of the investigation, ATSB investigators will examine the wreckage and map the accident site.”

Emergency workers at the scene of the fatal accident

(AP)

Queensland Ambulance Service said earlier that 13 people were being assessed for injuries. The three seriously injured people were said to be suffering from “multisystem shock”, while six people with minor injuries – mostly from impact glass – were taken to hospital.

Queensland Premier Anastasia Blaszczuk said the incident was an “unimaginable tragedy”. “My deepest condolences go out to every family and everyone affected by this terrible accident,” she said.

Safety investigators are expected to arrive at the site Monday afternoon

(AP)

The Gold Coast is the busiest in January, which is the prime time for summer holidays in Australia.

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