2023 Gold Coast mid-air collision

2023 Gold Coast mid-air collision

The helipad at Sea World
Occurrence
Date	2 January 2023;12 months ago (2023-01-02), 1:59 pm AEST
Summary	Mid-air collision, under investigation
Site	Gold Coast Seaway, Queensland, Australia 27°57′41″S153°25′23″E / 27.96139°S 153.42306°E / -27.96139; 153.42306
Total fatalities	4
Total injuries	8
Total survivors	9
First aircraft
Type	Eurocopter EC130
Operator	Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd
Registration	VH-XH9
Flight origin	Sea World, Queensland, Australia
Destination	Sea World, Queensland, Australia
Passengers	5
Crew	1
Fatalities	0
Injuries	5
Survivors	6
Second aircraft
Type	Eurocopter EC130
Operator	Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd
Registration	VH-XKQ
Flight origin	Sea World, Queensland, Australia
Destination	Sea World, Queensland, Australia
Passengers	6
Crew	1
Fatalities	4
Injuries	3
Survivors	3

On 2 January 2023, two Eurocopter EC130s collided mid-air and crashed near Sea World theme park in the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The collision killed four people and injured eight (three critically). ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Incident

On 2 January 2023, at approximately 1:59 pm AEST, ^[1] two helicopters operated by Sea World Helicopters collided mid-air at about 130 feet above ground' ^[5] whilst one was attempting to land and the other departing from a helipad at Sea World theme park. ^[6] Both helicopters were undertaking tourist trips for park-goers along the Gold Coast Broadwater, although the operator is not associated with the theme park. ^[7]

Less than a minute after take-off, the departing helicopter (VH-XKQ) ^[8] collided with the arriving helicopter (VH-XH9). ^{[8] [9]} This resulted in the departing helicopter’s main rotor blades and gearbox separating, ^[10] causing the helicopter to crash on a sandbar, killing four on board including the pilot and leaving three in critical condition. ^[7] The arriving helicopter was able to stabilise itself after the collision and successfully perform an emergency landing on the same sandbar with substantial damage. ^{[8] [10]} All six on board survived without critical injury, with five of the six survivors on the arriving helicopter suffering minor glass shrapnel wounds from the shattered cockpit windshield. ^{[11] [12]}

Many members of the public witnessed the collision, with beachgoers, boaters, and nearby police attending the scene to provide first aid and free injured passengers from the helicopter. ^{[13] [14]}

All nine survivors were taken to hospital for further treatment: eight were transported to Gold Coast University Hospital and one was transported to Queensland Children’s Hospital. ^[1] The three critically injured survivors were on the departing helicopter and included a 33-year-old woman and her nine-year-old son, and a 10-year-old child. ^{[7] [15]} The four who died were a 40-year-old pilot, a 36-year-old woman, and a British couple, aged 65 and 57. ^{[7] [15]}

Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd, the operator of the two helicopters involved, closed until further notice after the incident ^[6] and have since re-opened using the Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil (VH-SWL and VH-SWX).^{[ failed verification ]}

Investigation

Queensland Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are investigating the collision. Investigators from ATSB offices in Brisbane and Canberra arrived the following day, ^[1] removing both aircraft from the sandbar and retrieving electronic recording equipment. ^[15]

External videos
Footage from inside the arriving helicopter
Footage of the collision

Phone footage aired by Seven News and obtained by a passenger of the arriving helicopter shows a passenger pointing at the departing helicopter, tapping pilot Michael James on his shoulder and grabbing hold of his seat moments before the collision. ^[9] Footage from three lipstick cameras attached to the departing helicopter will also be examined by the ATSB. ^[9]

The Bureau is investigating whether the pilots could see the other helicopter, radio calls made by the pilots and whether they could be heard by the other aircraft, operator procedures and regulatory approvals. ^{[5] [2] [8]}

Traces of cocaine were later found in the deceased pilot Ash Jenkinson's system. Experts claim it could lead to increased testing regulations. ^[16]

See also

• List of accidents and incidents involving helicopters
• List of civilian mid-air collisions
• 2015 Villa Castelli mid-air collision

References

1. Colasimone, Dan; Callinan, Rory (2 January 2023). "Four dead after two helicopters collide near Sea World on the Gold Coast". ABC News . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
2. Cabral, Sam (2 January 2023). "Australia helicopter collision: Four dead in mid-air incident over Gold Coast". BBC News . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
3. Marris, Sharon (2 January 2023). "Four dead after two helicopters collide in mid-air near Sea World theme park in Australia". Sky News . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
4. Branco, Jorge (3 January 2023). "Race against the tide to retrieve chopper wreckage after deadly Gold Coast crash". Nine News (9News) . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
5. "Report outlines information about helicopter crash that killed British couple". 7 March 2023.
6. Roe, Isobel (4 January 2023). "Husband of Western Sydney woman who died in Gold Coast helicopter crash prays for injured son". ABC News . Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
7. Miles, Janelle; Callinan, Rory (3 January 2023). "Sea World helicopter collision could have been 'far worse' if not for 'remarkable' landing on sand bank, authorities say". ABC News . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
8. "Mid-air collision involving two helicopters near Main Beach, Gold Coast, Queensland, on 2 January 2023". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
9. Utting, Alexandria; Hosier, Phoebe (5 January 2023). "Hours of video footage to be reviewed as part of fatal Gold Coast helicopter crash investigation". ABC News . Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
10. O’Flaherty, Antonia (3 January 2023). "What we know so far about Sea World helicopter crash on the Gold Coast". ABC News . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
11. Clinton, Jane (3 January 2023). "Two Britons among four killed in Australia helicopter collision". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
12. Block, George (4 January 2023). "Gold Coast helicopter collision: Kiwi witness reveals close call in horror crash". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
13. Read, Cloe (2 January 2023). "'Unthinkable tragedy': Four dead after helicopters crash near Sea World". Brisbane Times . Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
14. Meilhan, Pierre; Yeung, Jessie (2 January 2023). "Four dead and several injured after two helicopters collide on Australia's Gold Coast". CNN . Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
15. Taylor, Josh; Gillespie, Eden (3 January 2023). "Gold Coast helicopter crash: investigators to 'painstakingly' piece together events that left four dead". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
16. "Sea World pilot's cocaine result could lead to increased drug and alcohol testing, expert says". ABC News. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-23.

External links

ATSB preliminary report