Australian helicopter crash: Four people have died in an air accident on the Gold Coast, four people have died after an air accident between two helicopters near Seaworld on the Gold Coast of Australia.
The Queensland Police said that their initial investigation showed that the accident caused one plane to take off and the other to crash.
The dead were in a helicopter. Three other passengers are in critical condition. Five of the six people on the other plane, who made the crash landing, were seriously injured.
Australia helicopter crash investigation
The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) is investigating the collision, which happened at 2pm (0400 GMT). Both planes crashed near a tourist spot known as Main Beach, about 75 kilometers (47 miles) south of Brisbane.
Queensland police officer Gary Worrell told reporters that the four dead and three seriously injured were all on the same plane. “It’s a tough situation,” he said.
“Because of the area it’s in, on the sand dunes, it’s difficult to get in there, to get our emergency services there to deal with it properly.”
Footage from the crash scene shows debris strewn across the sea and an apparently damaged helicopter lying on the ground outside Seaworld Park.
The other helicopter had the popular water park logo on its fuselage and appeared to have crashed after the crash.
According to Seaworld’s website, the park offers helicopter tours for tourists, as well as other paid activities.
Seaworld Drive, the entrance to the water park, has been closed by city police. They asked motorists and pedestrians to avoid the area while first responders investigated the crime scene.
Investigators from the ATSB offices in Brisbane and Canberra are deployed to the scene to collect evidence, examine the wreckage and interview witnesses.
ATSB Chief Executive australia helicopter crash Angus Mitchell also asked witnesses who saw the crash or the helicopter was in flight to contact investigators.
A preliminary report will be made public in the next six to eight weeks, and a final report will follow once the investigation is complete, he added.
The Gold Coast region is currently in peak tourist season, with children going on summer holidays.
