Horrifying footage reveals the sequence of events that led to two helicopters crashing into each other over Australia, killing a British couple and two others.
The video clip, recorded from inside both aircrafts and from onlookers on the ground, was shown on Monday as an inquest began examining the 2023 Gold Coast crash.
The hearing was told the footage leads to the ‘inescapable conclusion’ that neither pilot of the two Sea World sightseeing choppers saw the other.
British couple Ron and Diane Hughes, aged 65 and 57, were both killed in the mid-air collision, alongside pilot Ash Jenkinson and Australian national Vanessa Tadros.
Mr and Mrs Hughes, from Merseyside, had been on a holiday of a lifetime, visiting Mr Hughes’ daughter Jane Manns and his grandchildren.
Ms Tadros’s ten-year-old son Nicholas was pulled from the wreckage and was one of three left with critical injuries.
Footage played to the inquest captured the final seconds before the two helicopters collided and crashed to a sandbank below.
The inquest, overseen by Coroner Carol Lee, is expected to run for several weeks and will examine the operator’s training, safety procedures and communication systems.
Horrifying footage shows the moment two helicopters crashed into each other over the coast of Australia, killing a British couple and two others
Ron and Diane Hughes, pictured here on their wedding day, were two of four people killed in the helicopter crash
Footage from inside the helicopter shows the moment before the crash
Counsel assisting the inquest, Ian Harvey, told the court the videos provided the ‘inescapable conclusion’ neither pilot saw the other.
He told the court both pilots were highly experienced and were operating modern machines designed with multiple safety features.
‘How such a situation arose will be examined in detail during these hearings,’ he said.
The collision occurred less than half a minute after one of the helicopters lifted off for a short scenic flight.
The first helicopter, flown by Mr Jenkinson, crashed onto a sandbank and overturned.
The second helicopter, flown by pilot Michael James, sustained major damage but managed a controlled landing on the same sandbank.
The inquest heard that two children, including Ms Tadros’s young son, were pulled from the wreckage with significant injuries.
Police officers described the scene as chaotic, with debris strewn across the sand and members of the public attempting to help the injured, the Courier Mail reported.
One officer said the first helicopter was a ‘mangled wreck’ when he arrived.
Video footage shows the moment prior to two helicopters crashing in the sky above Queensland
Birmingham-born Ash Jenkinson, pictured here with his family, was described by heartbroken friends as a ‘top gun’
Image shows the helicopter moments before the horrific collision
It follows a finding by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau earlier this year that the crash could have been prevented had a number of ‘risk factors’ been addressed.
The damning report found multiple failures – including faulty radio communication and incomplete safety systems – contributed to the fatal collision.
Carter Capner Law director Peter Carter said the inquest ‘leaves open’ the prospect of criminal charges in a statement on Monday.
‘We’ve already seen serious failings laid bare in an Australian Transport Safety Bureau report, and this inquest will put the events of January 2023 under even more scrutiny,’ he said.
‘It’s important that affected families get more information on why too many aircraft were operating in a contested space and why faulty radio equipment was being used.’
Coroner Lee said the hearings would keep the loss of four lives at the forefront of the proceedings.
The inquiry will hear evidence from survivors, Air Transport Safety Bureau investigators, police and staff from Sea World Helicopters.
It is set to run for three weeks.
