Sea World Helicopters CEO tells inquest crash could have been avoided if pilot looked right
The CEO of Sea World Helicopters testified at an inquest that a fatal 2023 mid-air collision could have been avoided if the pilot had looked to his right. The CEO suggested the pilot was distracted by passengers in the front row during the flight.
Why it matters
The testimony highlights critical safety and procedural failures in aviation operations that led to a tragic loss of life.
Four people died when a Sea World helicopter taking off collided with another that was landing from a joy flight near the popular Gold Coast theme park in 2023. ( AAP: Dave Hunt )
The inquest into a fatal mid-air chopper collision on the Gold Coast has heard the crash could have been avoided if the pilot had looked right.
Sea World Helicopters CEO Brett Newman told the inquest he believed pilot Ashley Jenkinson was "totally distracted" by the front row passengers on the flight.
Link copied Share Share article A mid-air chopper collision that killed four people could have been avoided if the pilot had looked right, according to the boss of the helicopter company.
Pilot Ashley Jenkinson, UK tourists Ronald and Diane Hughes and New South Wales tourist Vanessa Tadros were killed when two Sea World helicopters collided near the Gold Coast theme park in 2023.
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