2023 Gold Coast helicopter crash

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2023 Gold Coast mid-air collision
The aftermath of VH-XH9
Occurrence
Date2 January 2023 (2023-01-02), 1:59 pm AEST
SummaryMid-air collision due to faulty radio
Site
Total fatalities4
Total injuries8
Total survivors9
First aircraft

A Eurocopter EC130 similar to the two helicopters involved in the collision
TypeEurocopter EC130
OperatorSea World Helicopters Pty Ltd
RegistrationVH-XH9
Flight originSea World, Queensland, Australia
DestinationSea World, Queensland, Australia
Occupants6
Passengers5
Crew1
Fatalities0
Injuries5
Survivors6
Second aircraft
TypeEurocopter EC130
OperatorSea World Helicopters Pty Ltd
RegistrationVH-XKQ
Flight originSea World, Queensland, Australia
DestinationSea World, Queensland, Australia
Occupants7
Passengers6
Crew1
Fatalities4
Injuries3
Survivors3

On 2 January 2023, two Eurocopter EC130s collided mid-air and crashed near Sea World theme park in the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The collision killed four people and injured eight, three critically.[1][2][3][4]

Collision

On 2 January 2023, at approximately 13:59  AEST,[1] two helicopters operated by Sea World Helicopters collided mid-air at about 130 feet above ground'[5] whilst one was attempting to land and the other departing from a helipad at Sea World theme park.[6] Both helicopters were undertaking tourist trips for park-goers along the Gold Coast Broadwater, although the operator is not associated with the theme park.[7]

Less than a minute after take-off, the departing helicopter (VH-XKQ)[8] collided with the arriving helicopter (VH-XH9).[8][9] This resulted in the departing helicopter's main rotor blades and gearbox separating,[10] causing the helicopter to crash on a sandbar, killing four on board including the pilot, Ashley Jenkinson, and leaving three in critical condition.[7]

The other victims were 36 year old Vanessa Tadros and United Kingdom couple Diane, 67 and Ron Hughes, 65. Vanessa's 10 year old son, Nicholas, and a mother and son, 33 year old Winnie and 9 year old Leon De Silva, survived.[7][11][12] The arriving helicopter, rode by pilot Michael James, was able to stabilize itself after the collision and successfully perform an emergency landing on the same sandbar with substantial damage.[8][10] All six on board survived without critical injury; this includes James, Jessie Maya,[13] and four people from New Zealand: Elmarie and Riann Steenberg, and Edward and Marle Swart.[14] Five of the six survivors on the arriving helicopter suffering minor glass shrapnel wounds from the shattered cockpit windshield.[15][16] All nine survivors were taken to hospital for further treatment: eight were transported to Gold Coast University Hospital and one was transported to Queensland Children's Hospital.[1] Of the three critically injured, all survived, though some with life changing injuries. Ten-year old Nicholas Tadros had multiple severe injuries, ultimately resulting in his leg being amputated;[17] Winnie had several broken bones, and her 9 year old son Leon De Silva suffered from head injuries.[18][19]

Many members of the public witnessed the collision, with beachgoers, boaters, and nearby police attending the scene to provide first aid and free injured passengers from the helicopter.[20][21]

Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd, the operator of the two helicopters involved, temporarily closed after the incident[6] but has since resumed operations.

Investigation

Queensland Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigated the collision. Investigators from ATSB offices in Brisbane and Canberra arrived the following day,[1] removed both aircraft from the sandbar and retrieved electronic recording equipment.[11]

External videos
video icon Footage from inside the arriving helicopter

A video of the arriving helicopter recorded by a passenger, which was aired by Seven News, shows a passenger pointing at the departing helicopter, tapping pilot Michael James on his shoulder and grabbing hold of his seat seconds before the collision.[9] Footage from three lipstick cameras attached to the departing helicopter was examined by the ATSB.[9]

Final report

On 9 April 2025, the final report of the collision was released by the ATSB. The report found that the radio on the VH-XKQ, the departing helicopter, was faulty due to corrosion, and in the previous 2 days the vast majority of transmissions had failed. This meant the arriving pilot did not receive the take-off call; it's possible the departing pilot also did not receive the arriving call.[22] Additional contributory safety issues were attributed to Sea World Helicopters' operations and management, including a lax safety culture which meant that 5 previous near misses in the weeks leading up to the crash had been ignored. Pilot error was not found to be a factor.[23][24] At the time of publication, 4 of 11 safety issues identified by the ATSB as contributing to the accident had not yet been addressed.[25][22]

Inquest and lawsuits

An coroner's inquest took place in November 2025 into the deaths.[26] In December of 2025, critically injured survivor Winnie filed a lawsuits against multiple parties on behalf of herself and her son.[27] A lawsuit for wrongful death of the pilot Ashley Jenkinson against the Sea World Helicopters Pty Ltd was settled out of court in November 2025; the beneficiaries were his fiancée and their son.[28]

See also

References

  1. Colasimone, Dan; Callinan, Rory (2 January 2023). "Four dead after two helicopters collide near Sea World on the Gold Coast". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  2. Cabral, Sam (2 January 2023). "Australia helicopter collision: Four dead in mid-air incident over Gold Coast". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  3. Marris, Sharon (2 January 2023). "Four dead after two helicopters collide in mid-air near Sea World theme park in Australia". Sky News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  4. Branco, Jorge (3 January 2023). "Race against the tide to retrieve chopper wreckage after deadly Gold Coast crash". Nine News (9News). Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  5. "Report outlines information about helicopter crash that killed British couple". Wymondham & Attleborough Mercury. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. Roe, Isobel (4 January 2023). "Husband of Western Sydney woman who died in Gold Coast helicopter crash prays for injured son". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  7. Miles, Janelle; Callinan, Rory (3 January 2023). "Sea World helicopter collision could have been 'far worse' if not for 'remarkable' landing on sand bank, authorities say". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  8. "Mid-air collision involving two helicopters near Main Beach, Gold Coast, Queensland, on 2 January 2023". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 9 April 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  9. Utting, Alexandria; Hosier, Phoebe (5 January 2023). "Hours of video footage to be reviewed as part of fatal Gold Coast helicopter crash investigation". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  10. O'Flaherty, Antonia (3 January 2023). "What we know so far about Sea World helicopter crash on the Gold Coast". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  11. Taylor, Josh; Gillespie, Eden (3 January 2023). "Gold Coast helicopter crash: investigators to 'painstakingly' piece together events that left four dead". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  12. "Sea World helicopter crash triggers airspace review". The Australian. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  13. "Footage captured by Jessie Maya before Sea World helicopter crash". ABC News. 2025-11-24. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  14. "New photos of Kiwis in Gold Coast chopper crash show moments after tragedy". The New Zealand Herald. 2023-01-08. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  15. Clinton, Jane (3 January 2023). "Two Britons among four killed in Australia helicopter collision". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  16. Block, George (4 January 2023). "Gold Coast helicopter collision: Kiwi witness reveals close call in horror crash". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  17. "Sea World helicopter crash survivor Nicholas Tadros speaks for first time after amputation". Stuff. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  18. Barnsley, Warren (2023-01-09). "Helicopter disaster victim's selfless act for little boy yet to wake up after horror crash". 7NEWS. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  19. Abbott, Lachlan (2025-12-25). "Victorian survivors of Sea World helicopter crash sue for compensation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2026-01-02. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  20. Read, Cloe (2 January 2023). "'Unthinkable tragedy': Four dead after helicopters crash near Sea World". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  21. Meilhan, Pierre; Yeung, Jessie (2 January 2023). "Four dead and several injured after two helicopters collide on Australia's Gold Coast". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  22. Hoover (2025-04-26). "Jan 2, 2023 EC130 Midair Collision: VH-XKQ and VH-XH9 Crash". pilotdebrief.com. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  23. Watson, Katy (9 April 2025). "Faulty antenna played role in fatal Australian helicopter crash". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 April 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  24. "ATSB Gold Coast helicopter midair collision investigation highlights importance of multiple layers of defence in commercial aviation" (Press release). Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 9 April 2025. Archived from the original on 10 April 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2025 – via Australian Government.
  25. "Midair collision involving Eurocopter EC130 B4, VH-XH9, and Eurocopter EC130 B4, VH-XKQ, Main Beach, Gold Coast, Queensland, on 2 January 2023". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. April 2025. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  26. Read, Cloe (2025-11-24). "Footage of moment Sea World helicopters collided shown on inquest day one". The Age. Archived from the original on 2025-11-24. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  27. Abbott, Lachlan (2025-12-25). "Victorian survivors of Sea World helicopter crash sue for compensation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2026-01-02. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  28. Read, Cloe (2025-11-28). "Sea World Helicopters agrees to settle claim launched by pilot's widow". The Age. Archived from the original on 2025-12-28. Retrieved 2026-06-16.