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A pilot, two British visitors and a Sydney woman have been identified as the four people killed in a collision of two helicopters over the waterfront at an Australian tourist hotspot.
Authorities say it was fortunate the death toll in the crash of two aircraft operated by Sea World Helicopters was not higher. The pilot of the second helicopter managed to land safely on a sandy outcrop despite the aircraft being damaged in the collision Monday afternoon near Main Beach on Australia’s Gold Coast.
“Considering the damage that was done to the front left-hand section of the helicopter, where the pilot was sitting, that has been a remarkable achievement,” said Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell, whose office is investigating the crash.
“So whilst it has been very tragic that four people have lost their lives and many people are mourning this morning, we could have had a far worse situation here and the fact that one helicopter managed to land has been quite remarkable.”
The pilot who died, Ashley Jenkinson, had worked as a chief pilot at Sea World Helicopters since 2019, and friends praised his mentorship and the assistance he provided during catastrophic floods in the New South Wales town of Ballina last year. The Gold Coast Bulletin reported he was 40 and had become a father in September.
