2 years ago
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Image source, Facebook
Diane and Ron Hughes joined successful 2022 and were visiting Australia to spot relatives successful the country
A mates who died successful a chopper clang connected Australia's Gold Coast had arrived successful the state days earlier to sojourn relatives "after being separated by Covid", their household has said.
Diane Hughes, 57, and hubby Ron, 65, were killed erstwhile 2 helicopters collided successful Queensland connected 2 January.
The "fun-loving" mates from Neston, Cheshire, had "a zest for life", their household said successful a statement.
They added that they were "still successful a authorities of shock" implicit what had happened.
Officials person said the fatal clang happened arsenic little than 20 seconds aft 1 chopper took disconnected from a sandbar adjacent the Sea World edifice and collided with different craft that was landing.
Mr and Mrs Hughes were killed, on with Sydney nonmigratory Vanessa Tadros and 40-year-old Sea World Helicopters aviator Ashley Jenkinson, who was primitively from Birmingham.
Three others, including 2 children, were severely injured and stay successful hospital.
WATCH: Debris covers Australia's Gold Coast aft mid-air chopper collision
In a statement, the couple's relatives said Mr and Mrs Hughes, who joined successful 2022, had " arrived past week [to visit] our household connected the Gold Coast aft being separated by Covid for the past fewer years".
"We are profoundly saddened and inactive successful a authorities of daze from the events that unfolded connected Monday," they said.
"They were the astir generous, loyal, fun-loving couple, who had a zest for beingness and were loved and adored by everyone they met.
"Tragedies similar this hap to 'other people' and we are each struggling to travel to presumption with our loss.
"They permission a immense spread successful our household and volition beryllium survived by parents, brothers, sons, daughters, and their cheeky grandkids."
They besides thanked "all the archetypal responders, exigency services and Sea World unit for their heroics successful trying to prevention our loved ones".
"Our thoughts are with everyone impacted and we commune for the betterment of survivors inactive successful hospital," they added.
An probe into the origin of the clang has begun, with officials saying they were looking into the concern successful the helicopters.
"What we bash request to cognize present is what was occurring wrong those 2 cockpits astatine the time," aerial information commissioner Angus Mitchell told reporters connected Wednesday.
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