2023 Gold Coast mid-air collision

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.

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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. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 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.
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