HOTEL HORROR
Major update in Hilton hotel helicopter crash that killed 1 as it’s revealed chopper was ‘stolen’ before fireball smash
The aviation company is investigating the unauthorised use of the chopper
A PILOT killed when his helicopter crashed into a luxury hotel was flying a stolen chopper, police sources fear
The chopper smashed into the roof of the Double Tree Hotel in Cairns, Australia, at around 1.50am Monday local time, killing the 40-year-old man.
7
7
7
7
The helicopter was part of the fleet of Nautilus Aviation, which said the use of the chopper was unauthorised.
They said: "Nautilus Aviation are working closely with Queensland Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other authorities as they investigate the unauthorised use of one of our helicopters in the early hours of this morning.
"As we continue to fully support the ongoing investigation, we will not be making further comments at this time."
A well placed source told the that they chopper may have been stolen.
Read more world news
The source said: "All the pilots have been accounted for."
The luxury Hilton Double Tree hotel was evacuated following the horrific crash.
The hotel sits on the waterfront of the city and is a subsidiary of the American giant Hilton.
The pilot was the only fatality, however according to local media, two elderly guests were reportedly injured in the crash and were taken to hospital.
Most read in The Sun
The hotel sits on the waterfront of the city and is a subsidiary of the American giant Hilton.
All 400 people in the hotel were evacuated with any fuel lying around having the "potential to explode".
Witnesses described a red helicopter flying away from the hotel and then flying back "straight into the building".
'Major incident' declared after helicopter crash in Westmeath with 'reports of casualties'
A piece of the helicopter lay on the berm outside the building as residents gathered near it during the evacuation.
Queensland Ambulance Service Far Northern Region senior operations supervisor Caitlin Dennings said residents described hearing a crash that sounded like a bomb.
She said: "Unfortunately it is quite frightening to hear.
"There's reports that it sounded like a bomb and seeing fire and smoke from that.
"A lot of the occupants of the hotel were very unsure about the situation at the time."
She added: "The helicopter impacted the roof of the hotel however two propellors have dislodged from the helicopter landing on the Cairns esplanade.
"There was a second propellor located in the hotel pool on the bottom floor."
One person walking by on the street immediately after the crash described the scene as "madness".
The clips showed red fire lighting up the top of the building against the dark night.
A siren wailed to evacuate residents of the eight story building.
She said: "It's smashed right in."
"Boy that was going fast the helicopter too... a red helicopter... it went past twice.
"It was just going out of control that thing was."
A small fire could also be seen on the ground level of the hotel below where the chopper had landed.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Queensland Police said the helicopter crash caused them to put in an exclusion zone to keep the public away from the aviation crash.
The Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) zone includes Esplanade, Minnie Street, Abbott Street and Florence Street.
7
7
7
Topics