The two helicopters involved in the accident at the scene of one of the videos shown below
At least 13 people required assistance after an aerial collision between two helicopters that occurred just before 2pm local time on Monday 2 January in Australia, causing one piece of equipment to fall and the other to make an emergency landing.
Videos show that one of the planes had just taken off when it collided with the other approaching the site, both Eurocopter EC 130B4 models:
Commissioned by Sea World Helicopters, the collision reportedly happened in midair as one helicopter landed while the other attempted to take off. pic.twitter.com/ed3lGN8Q4U
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) January 2, 2023
Four dead, three critical in horror helicopter collision near Sea World
Four people were killed and several others are in critical condition following a collision between two helicopters near Sea World.#澳喜要闻 pic.twitter.com/EuiV5QNdLX— NFSC澳喜要聞（新號） (@weizhenshe) January 2, 2023
According to Australian portal news.com.au, Queensland Police Officer Gary Worrell confirmed four deaths and added that another three people remain in hospital in critical condition.
“Around 2pm today, police and emergency services were called to an airborne collision of two helicopters outside Sea World in Broadwater,” he said.
“These two planes crashed on the sandbar near Sea World Resort. Police, emergency services and citizens attended the incident. Four people lost their lives today as a result of this accident and we have three others in critical condition in hospital. The investigation is ongoing, there will be a police report to the coroner and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau is also conducting an investigation.”
Acting Inspector Worrell stressed the officers’ appreciation for members of the public who assisted at the crash site, as the location on the sandbar was difficult to access. “I want to thank everyone who came to make this possible,” he said.
He said the seven people who died or were seriously injured all came from the same helicopter. “The windshield of a helicopter was shattered and it landed safely on the island. The other fell and landed upside down,” he explained.
Images showing the two helicopters on the sandbank, which suffered severe damage, with rescue teams surrounding them, indicate at least one aircraft has the inscription “Sea World Helicopters.”
A Queensland Ambulance Service representative, Jayney Shearman, told reporters the service had mobilized all available resources to deal with the incident, including paramedics in intensive care and two medical helicopters. “In the early stages, 13 people were identified in these two helicopters.”