A Robinson R-44 Raven II helicopter registered VH-ERH and owned by Nautilus Aviation Pty Ltd crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Cairns, Australia, early Monday morning, killing the pilot and sparking a fire that led to the evacuation of hundreds of guests. The crash occurred around 01:50 local time during an illegal flight, and the pilot, who was the sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene.
One of the helicopter’s blades fell into the hotel’s pool, while another landed on the nearby esplanade. Two people were injured and taken to the hospital in stable condition. Fortunately, no one on the ground was hurt.
Emergency services quickly responded, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has begun an investigation. Videos shared on social media captured flames on the hotel’s roof, with sirens sounding in the background.
The Nautilus Aviation helicopter was reportedly stolen from Cairns Airport.
Cairns, a popular tourist spot and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, was shaken by the incident.
This post was published on 12 August 2024 18:18
easyJet has put five additional UK routes on sale for summer 2027, following the 18…
Lufthansa Cargo’s winter 2026/27 schedule will offer 88 freighter routes serving 40 destinations worldwide, with…
Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has signed a firm order for 75 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft,…
Brussels Airlines has brought its travelling contemporary African art exhibition, AfriConnections, to Brussels for the…
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds marked the end of an era on Friday, October 16, with…
Lufthansa plans to introduce its first Airbus A350-1000 on the Munich–Tokyo Haneda route on 3…