Cairns, Australia – Monday morning brought a sad story of a helicopter which was involved in an accident that resulted in the pilot’s death. The aircraft collided with the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel near Cairns Esplanade.
The helicopter exploded after landing, bringing about a massive concern that involved the hotel’s evacuation.
Police and other officials are yet to release the identity of the deceased pilot who was the only person on board. The incident took place in what was described as “unauthorized flight” although the circumstances under which it took place are still under investigation.
The crash occurred at about 1.50 a.m., local time. The impact led to a fire on the roof of the seven-story luxury hotel; firefighters arrived soon after.
The authorities stated that two tourists on the upper level of the hotel received minor injuries and were sent to the hospital. Though hundreds of guests and hotel staff had to be evacuated, no major damages were reported.
Queensland Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Shane Holmes said that the flight was conducted without necessary permission, but did not comment on the circumstances of the crash. Whether the helicopter was stolen, or the pilot deliberately crashed it.
The helicopter was said to have flown from Cairns Airport which is located about 3 miles/5km from the crash location and was operated by Nautilus Aviation. The conditions were not too ideal at the time with low light and possibly rain. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is still trying to establish the condition of the helicopter’s equipment as well as the nature of the flight.
Some witnesses, such as Veronica Knight from Sydney, said the helicopter was flying extremely close to the water before the accident. Knight, who recorded the scenes of the event, noticed that the aircraft was flying chaotically and moving towards a brightly illuminated hotel.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns released a statement after the evacuation acknowledging that all the guests, the 421 adult guests, 50 children, and two staff members were successfully evacuated. The hotel is relocating guests who were displaced by the fire and is assisting in the investigation process.
Police have closed off the area where the accident occurred informing the public that the area is restricted from access. Detectives, including those from the forensic crash unit and the ATSB, are at the scene collating further evidence and gathering information from witnesses.
