(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) A helicopter crash in the early hours of Monday morning led to the tragic death of a pilot and the evacuation of hundreds of people from the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton in Cairns, Australia. The crash occurred at approximately 1:50 a.m., sending shockwaves through the city's main waterfront area.
The twin-engine helicopter, owned by North Queensland-based charter company Nautilus Aviation, collided with the roof of the DoubleTree Hotel, igniting a fire on the building's roof. Queensland Police confirmed that the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the helicopter, died at the scene. Forensic teams are currently working to formally identify the victim.
The crash was particularly alarming due to the helicopter's propellers becoming dislodged during the impact. One propeller landed on the Cairns Esplanade, while the other ended up in the hotel's pool, still on fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among those on the ground.
In a statement released on Monday morning, Nautilus Aviation confirmed that the helicopter was involved in an unauthorised flight. The company expressed its commitment to cooperating with the ongoing investigations led by the Queensland Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), and other relevant authorities.
"Nautilus Aviation is working closely with the Queensland Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and other authorities as they investigate the unauthorised use of one of our helicopters in the early hours of this morning," the company said.
The crash triggered the evacuation of approximately 300 to 400 hotel guests. Two elderly guests, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s, were taken to Cairns Hospital in stable condition. They had been staying in a room close to the impact site and were reported to be severely stressed by the ordeal.
Video footage posted on social media showed a fire on the roof of the hotel, with witnesses describing the helicopter's erratic behavior before the crash.
Jill and Robert Ball, who were staying at the DoubleTree Hotel, recounted the chaotic evacuation process. The noise of the crash had jolted them awake, and flames were visible from their room, which was diagonally opposite the crash site.
“I was lucky enough that I put my clothes on, but some poor people came out in bare feet and pyjamas,” she was quoted as saying in a Guardian report.“It was just such a mess, in as much as there was no communication, it was so disorganised.”
Jill described how they were instructed to“walk this way, then ... walk that way [and] the other way” before a bus driver from a tour group staying at the hotel stepped in. Under the direction of the police, the driver began transporting the frightened guests to the evacuation point.
“He was doing runs back and forwards and backwards, and he was really the only source of information we had,” she said.“[He] was just such a hero, he was very kind and caring.”
She mentioned that they were on the same bus as the two people who were later taken to the hospital. These individuals had been staying in a room close to where the helicopter had crashed.
“They were just very stressed because, you know, their window had shattered in their room.”
Jill and Robert managed to stay with a friend in Cairns later on Monday morning. However, they mentioned that during their hours-long stay at the evacuation point, rumors were rampant.
"We were there for nearly three hours, and no one addressed the group," she said. Jill expressed concern for foreign tourists who seemed unable to speak English and likely found the situation confusing.
Emergency services were quick to respond, but initially, it was too dangerous for them to approach the crash site. Queensland Ambulance senior operations supervisor in Cairns, Caitlin Denning, described the chaotic scene as first responders arrived.
“At the time, it was too unsafe for us to enter the hotel to view the [impact site],” she told reporters.
“The helicopter impacted the roof of the hotel, however two propellers have dislodged.
One landed on the Cairns Esplanade and there was a second propeller located in the hotel pool on the bottom floor and it was on fire.”
“There were reports of it sounding like a bomb, and seeing the fire and smoke, a lot of the occupants of the hotel were unsure of the situation. There is a lot of unease here," Denning added.
Police have since declared an exclusion zone around the crash site, urging the public to avoid the area as investigations continue. A detailed report will be prepared for the coroner by the forensic crash unit and the ATSB.
Authorities are now focused on determining the cause of the crash, with Nautilus Aviation and other agencies fully cooperating in the investigation. The tragic incident has left many in Cairns and the broader community in shock, as they await further details about the unauthorised flight and the identity of the deceased pilot.
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