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4 individuals have been confirmed as useless amongst 13 injured – three critically – after two helicopters collided earlier than one crashed into the Broadwater on the Gold Coast.
One chopper ended up the other way up on a sandbar on the water’s edge with particles strewn across the space after the crash about 2pm on Monday close to the Sea World theme park at Most important Seaside.
What has occurred on the Gold Coast as we speak is an unthinkable tragedy. My deepest sympathies are with every of the households and everybody affected by this horrible accident.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 2, 2023
The Queensland Ambulance Service referred to as it a “main incident”.
Not less than three individuals have been airlifted to hospital in a essential situation, police mentioned, as paramedics deal with sufferers on the scene.
“13 sufferers are being assessed on the scene the place two helicopters have collided on #MainBeach. Please keep away from the world,” the QAS reported in a social media replace,
Police and Emergency Companies mentioned the crash occurred when two helicopters got here into contact with one another.
Police consider that one of many helicopters was taking off and the opposite one was touchdown when the collision occurred, though additional investigations shall be held to substantiate precisely what occurred.
One of many helicopters managed to land efficiently.
“There are accidents within the different helicopter with emergency companies working on the scene,” Police and Emergency Companies mentioned in a press release.
Witnesses Dang Nguyen and Julie Gill instructed The Gold Coast Bulletin they noticed “two helicopters crash into one another”, in a report confirmed by one other witness.
“Two Seaworld helicopters collided. We’re simply leaving Seaworld now, like many others. Nobody coming in, clearly,” a Twitter person wrote.
“We heard a loud noise and noticed bits of particles flying. Emergency companies in all places. Praying all concerned are OK,” wrote one other.
Witness Jonathon James Spagnol mentioned the crash occurred after helicopters obtained too shut, with one’s rear rotor sawing off the opposite’s.
“Yea 2 choppers hit one another. Appear to be one went up and one was coming again in. Chopped the again off the opposite landed on the sand bar. Was proper behind us,” he wrote on Fb.
Carmen Renèe Mallia wrote: “I noticed it too. I used to be completely shocked. Shook me to the core. I hope everybody was okay.”
“Noticed it hit one thing from the automobile and it simply went straight down. Hope everyone seems to be okay,” Billie Tunks mentioned on Fb.
Individuals on jetskis and in boats rushed to assist the victims on the small sand island off the theme park earlier than paramedics and police arrived.
A LifeFlight Helicopter additionally circled over the scene earlier than one other was seen heading the scene simply earlier than 3pm on the Flight tracker web site.
Seaworld Drive has since been closed and elements of the theme park have additionally reportedly been blocked off.
A witness mentioned one of many helicopters had been doing pleasure flights from SeaWorld within the hours earlier than the accident.
It has not been confirmed with park operator Village Roadshow whether or not one in all its plane was concerned.
The Australian Transport Security Bureau was investigating the collision, chief commissioner Angus Mitchell mentioned.
“The ATSB asks anybody who might have seen the collision, or who witnessed the helicopters in any section of their flights, or who might have footage of any type, to make contact through witness@atsb.gov.au,” he mentioned.
– with AAP
