Act Daily News
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A midair collision between two helicopters in Australia has left 4 folks lifeless and three others in important situation, authorities mentioned Monday.
The collision occurred round 2 p.m. native time close to the favored vacationer strip of Main Beach on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.
“Those two aircraft, when collided, have crash landed on the sand bank just out from Sea World Resort,” Queensland Police Inspector Gary Worrell, a regional responsibility officer for the southeastern area, advised reporters.
He added it had been tough for emergency providers to entry the sand financial institution, positioned not removed from the coast.
Thirteen folks have been on the 2 helicopters, in accordance with Jayney Shearman, from the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS). Of these, 4 folks died, three suffered critical accidents and 6 had minor accidents, together with cuts from shattered glass.
All the injured had been taken to hospital, she mentioned.
Photos from the positioning present particles mendacity on a strip of sand, with personnel gathered on land and quite a few vessels within the surrounding waters.
Worrell mentioned that although it’s too early to find out the precise explanation for the accident, preliminary inquiries suggests one helicopter had been taking off and the opposite touchdown once they collided.
One helicopter “has its windscreen removed, and it’s landed safely on the island. The other (helicopter) has crashed, and it was upside down,” he mentioned.
He added that after the crash, close by police and members of the general public rushed to the positioning, making an attempt to take away and carry out first support on these contained in the helicopter.
Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), mentioned in a press release that an investigation had been launched into the collision.
Investigators from the ATSB’s places of work in Brisbane and Canberra will likely be deployed to the scene to collect proof, study the wreckage and map the positioning, in addition to interview witnesses and concerned events, Mitchell added.
He requested individuals who witnessed the collision or noticed the helicopters in flight to contact investigators. A preliminary report will come within the subsequent six to eight weeks, with a last report after the investigation is full, he mentioned.
In a press release posted on Twitter, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed her “deepest sympathies” for the victims’ households and everyone affected. “What has happened on the Gold Coast today is an unthinkable tragedy,” she mentioned.
Police say Sea World Drive has been closed to site visitors and urged motorists and pedestrians to keep away from the world.
Sea World Drive is the principle entry level for the marine park that’s fashionable with vacationers on the center of the Gold Coast. It’s peak vacationer season within the area proper now, with colleges closed for the lengthy summer season break.
Act Daily News has reached out to Sea World for remark.