As we launch head first into 2024, we take a moment to look back at some of the biggest stories happening this time last year.
On the first Monday of 2023, around 4pm, Vanessa Tadros and her 10-year-old son Nicholas, Winnie de Silva and her son Leon, and a recently married British couple, Ron Hughes and Diane Hughes, waited for a “once in a lifetime” trip over the Gold Coast, Australia in a Sea World Helicopter.
Helmed by the company’s chief pilot, Ashley Jenkinson, the air-conditioned Airbus helicopter rose from the helipad carrying those six passengers.
However, onlookers watched in horror as another Sea World helicopter, which was preparing to land, came frighteningly close to Jenkinson’s aircraft. “Bang!” within seconds the two collided mid-air.
Jenkinson, Tadros, and the Hughes were killed during the crash. Nicholas, De Silva and Leon survived with serious injuries.
CH9 VIA AP
This image made from a video shows sand island with crashed helicopter, victims and emergency services on Gold Coast, Australia.
The second helicopter, which managed to safely land on the sandbank after the crash, had six people onboard. Five out of the six – the pilot, a West Australian woman, and two New Zealand couples – suffered shrapnel wounds from a shattered windscreen.
A witness of the crash, John Hunt, said that the pilot of the second aircraft saved many lives as he avoided crashing into the nearby Gold Coast theme park, Sea World, which was “choked” with people.
“The other helicopter hovered over the jellyfish building [in the park],” he told the ABC. “We thought he was going to crash on top of all the crowd, but the pilot was able to get out onto the sandbank, probably an extra 30 metres away from where it was.”
The four Aucklanders who survived the crash also praised the heroism of their pilot.
In a joint statement, Elmarie and Riaan Steenberg and Edward and Marle Swart said: “Our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the injured and the deceased and their families. We are grateful and blessed to have been spared but very sad for the people who lost loved ones. […] Our hearts are so heavy for them.”
CH9 via AP
This image from a video shows a crashed helicopter on Gold Coast, Australia.
“To our pilot, who, through all the chaos, landed the helicopter safely, keeping us and other bystanders safe. You are our hero. Thank you so very much.”
They added: “Our gratitude goes out to every bystander who ran to help, every police officer and emergency services personnel who helped us with our immediate needs keeping us calm and making us comfortable. We saw mateship in action. Australians come together to help in time of need.”
Many paid British-born pilot Jenkinson, an aviation veteran who helped victims of the Northern Rivers flood emergency in Queensland in early 2022.
60 Minutes
New Zealanders Elmarie and Riaan Steenberg, and Marle and Edward Swart, survived the helicopter crash near Seaworld on the Gold Coast in Australia.
“I know that fun, positive, adventurous spirit of the legend that you are, will live on through the lives of everyone that knew you,” said friend Lee Campbell.
“An amazing pilot,” a friend Lucy Rachel said on Facebook. “Always so kind, helpful, and supportive. A true gentleman, and always willing to lend a hand.”
Leon de Silva who was on the crashed helicopter, survived the collision, although he suffered brain trauma and had to be put in an induced coma. His mother, Winnie was also in intensive care with two broken legs, a damaged left knee, a broken right shoulder, and a broken collarbone.
The only other survivor of the horrific crash, Nicholas Tadros, was also fighting for his life in a hospital, undergoing numerous operations, including one to amputate his right leg. His mother was killed during the collision.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) launched an investigation into the fatal crash and stated that it was “extremely fortunate” that more people weren’t killed.
Sydney Morning Herald
Winnie de Silva who was a victim of the mid-air crash of two helicopters on the Gold Coast that killed four people and left several others injured.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the helicopters crashed when one was taking off and the other was landing.
“From the footage that we’ve seen and from the damage that we can witness on there, it does appear that the main rotor blade of the helicopter taking off has collided with the front cockpit of the descending helicopter on the left-hand side,” he said.
Mitchell added that the first helicopter had only been in the air for 20 seconds before the collision.
Later, after a preliminary report filing, Mitchell further added that the bureau had yet to determine if Jenkinson made a taxiing call before taking off.
The bureau was analysing radio calls, and reports from passengers that were in the second helicopter who reported seeing passengers boarding Jenkinson’s aircraft as it got ready to depart, Mitchell said.
The Age
Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson (left) was killed when his chopper and another collided.
Mitchell said that the pilot of the second helicopter, Michael James, believed that Jenkinson’s aircraft would pass behind them, and he did not recall a standard taxiing call from Jenkinson signalling his intent to take off.
“This does not necessarily mean that a taxiing call was not made,” Mitchell said.
“The ATSB investigation will undertake a detailed analysis of the nature of the radio calls that were made.”
