Multiple folks had been additionally injured within the horrific crash, together with Melbourne mom Winnie De Silva, her nine-year-old son Leon and Tadros’ son Nicholas, 10.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell right now detailed the company’s preliminary findings into the incident.
The two helicopters – operated by Sea World Helicopters, a separate company entity to the theme park – took off from separate helipads greater than 200m aside.
The plane had been meant to observe the identical counter-clockwise orbit earlier than touchdown on the reverse helipad from the place they took off.
“The two helicopters collided at an altitude of about 130 feet, 23 seconds into the departing helicopter’s flight,” Mitchell stated.
“The helicopters were operating in a non-controlled or class G space where pilots use a common traffic advisory frequency to make radio calls to announce their positions and intentions and where necessary to arrange separation.”
Mitchell stated the pilot of the primary helicopter noticed passengers boarding the second chopper and believed it could cross behind them after take off.
The pilot of the already airborne helicopter stated he did not recall a taxi name being made to announce the opposite plane’s intentions to depart.
“This does not necessarily mean that a taxi call was not made,” he stated.
”The pilot of the arriving helicopter did not see the other helicopter actually depart the helipad.”
Mitchell stated though video confirmed the helicopters within the air on the similar time, it didn’t imply they had been seen to the respective pilots.
“This investigation will look closely at the issues both pilots potentially faced in seeing the other helicopter,” he stated.
The company has created a 3D mannequin of what the pilots may have seen to determine the “impediments” to seeing one another’s helicopter.
Mitchell stated investigators will have a look at the procedures of working helicopters within the Sea World space, the regulatory surveillance of the operator and the usage of the visitors collision avoidance system.
He harassed it was a preliminary report however extra evaluation of what led to the tragedy would proceed and any security reforms are but to be decided.
“I am acutely aware that those who lost a loved one in this accident and the survivors who are still recovering from significant physical and mental injuries and their families want only to understand how the tragedy unfolded but equally and most importantly why had occurred,” he stated.
“And why did the safety equipment processes and procedures that are designed to prevent an accident like this not work on this occasion.”
Source: www.9news.com.au
