A tragic incident occurred early Monday when a helicopter pilot crashed onto the roof of an Australian hotel, resulting in the pilot's death and injuries to others. The pilot, identified as 23-year-old Blake Wilson from New Zealand, was an employee of Nautilus Aviation but was not authorized to fly the company's helicopters in Australia. Wilson, who held a helicopter pilot's license in New Zealand, had recently been promoted to a ground crew job at another base of the company.
The unauthorized flight led to the evacuation of the hotel as flames engulfed the aircraft. Fortunately, only a couple staying at the hotel suffered from smoke inhalation and have since been discharged from the hospital. Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker confirmed that there was no compromise of the airport security program or processes during the incident.
The crash occurred in Cairns, a popular tourist destination in far north Queensland, during peak holiday season. Witnesses described the crash as sounding like a bomb exploding, with smoke and flames emanating from the hotel's roof. One of the helicopter's rotor blades even landed in the hotel pool.
The DoubleTree Hilton hotel remains cordoned off as authorities assess its structural integrity. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the unauthorized flight and subsequent crash that resulted in this tragic event.
