Australia helicopter collision could have seen many more deaths, officials say - BBC

A mid-air collision betwixt 2 helicopters successful Australia could person seen galore much deaths, authorities say.

A British mates and 2 Australians died successful the clang connected Monday adjacent Sea World connected Queensland's Gold Coast.

Three others - including 2 children - were earnestly injured.

The origin of the clang is not yet known. Officials accidental it happened little than 20 seconds aft 1 chopper took disconnected from a sandbar and collided with different craft that was landing.

All those killed and critically injured were successful the ascending helicopter, which crashed wrong seconds aft its main rotor leaf struck the cockpit of the different aircraft, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said.

The 2nd chopper landed upright connected the sandbank. Five of the six radical connected committee suffered insignificant injuries.

The landing was a "remarkable achievement" fixed the chopper was damaged "where the aviator was sitting", ATSB main commissioner Angus Mitchell said.

"We are precise fortunate that we're not lasting present with acold much deaths," helium told reporters connected Tuesday.

The UK victims - a woman, 57, and a man, 65 - were joined and had a adjacent of kin successful Australia, Queensland Police said. They and different pistillate who died, a 36-year-old Australian, person not been identified.

The 4th unfortunate was 40-year-old Ashley Jenkinson, an experienced Sea World Helicopters aviator who lived successful the area.

Mr Jenkinson was a "big feline with a large heart", said 1 person quoted by section media. The Brisbane Times reported helium was primitively from England and had helped with betterment efforts aft devastating floods successful Lismore, New South Wales, past year.

A boy, 10, and a woman, 33, remained successful a captious information successful infirmary connected Tuesday, constabulary said. A nine-year-old lad with superior injuries was described arsenic stable.

Both helicopters were operating tourer flights for Sea World - 1 of respective fashionable taxable parks connected the Gold Coast. Its owner, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, has offered condolences and said Sea World Helicopters is an autarkic operator.

The ATSB says it volition behaviour interviews and meticulously scour the helicopters, scene, footage, and different grounds earlier speculating connected what caused the crash. It called connected eyewitnesses to travel forward.

Police said vessel operators had rushed to assistance aft the clang astatine astir 14:00 section clip (04:00 GMT), including by giving CPR.

Authorities had faced challenges accessing the sandbank and aboriginal securing grounds amid tidal changes, officials said.

The ATSB's preliminary study is owed successful six to 8 weeks.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the state had been near shocked by the "terrible and tragic incident".

The UK overseas bureau has said it is supporting the victims' families and volition stay successful interaction with section authorities.