The stepfather of a boy critically injured alongside his mother when two helicopters collided during a Gold Coast joy flight says the nine-year-old is in an induced coma and remains a major concern.
Neil de Silva watched helplessly as two choppers operated by Sea World Helicopters collided mid-air on Monday afternoon with wife Winnie, 33, and stepson Leon, nine, on board.
Leon has brain trauma, while Ms De Silva suffered two broken legs, a damaged left knee, a broken right shoulder and a broken collarbone in the crash.
While Winnie has regained consciousness, Mr de Silva says Leon remains a concern.
"Leon's the worst of the moment. He's in an induced coma because of head trauma and trauma injuries to his brain," Mr de Silva told Nine News on Wednesday.
"Winnie is slightly improving ... but our major concern is Leon, and when they wake him up ... that he's okay."
An online fundraiser he set up to help pay for his wife and stepson's treatment and his Gold Coast accommodation while they recovered had raised more than $30,000 by Wednesday afternoon.
"It's tragic for Winnie and Leon, but they survived ... my heart goes out to the ones that didn't," Mr De Silva said.
Four people were killed in the accident - pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, British nationals Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57 and Sydney mum Vanessa Tadros, 36.
Ms Tadros's heartbroken husband Simon has asked for prayers for the couple's son Nicholas who has undergone multiple operations in hospital since the accident.
"I do ask that if everyone can please say a prayer for Nicky, so he can wake up and make a good recovery," Mr Tadros posted on social media.
"He is in an induced coma on a life support machine to help him breath (sic).
"He is in a very serious and critical state. I'm asking for all your prayers to bring my little man back to me."
The helicopter, which had seven people aboard, fell from a height and slammed into a sandbar after its main rotor struck the windscreen of a second helicopter, and detached.
The second helicopter's cockpit was severely damaged, but 52-year-old pilot Michael James managed to land on the sandbar, saving the lives of his five passengers, four of whom suffered glass shrapnel injuries.
The passengers included a West Australian woman and two New Zealand couples in their 40s who were travelling together.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is probing the crash, focusing on what was happening inside the two cockpits at the point of impact.
Chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said Mr Jenkinson's aircraft had taken off and was in the air for less than 20 seconds before its main rotor blades hit the cockpit of the second helicopter, which was coming in to land.
