'Unauthorized' Helicopter Flight Ends with Crash on Hotel Roof in Australia, Killing Pilot
A man died after an unauthorized helicopter flight in Queensland, Australia ended in a crash on a hotel roof early Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building as flames engulfed the aircraft.
Authorities in the city of Cairns said that they had not confirmed the identity of the pilot, his reason for making the flight, or how the tourist helicopter was able to take off from Cairns Airport.
A couple staying at the hotel was hospitalized suffering from smoke inhalation and have now been discharged, Queensland Police Service Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes told reporters. No one else on the ground was hurt.
Holmes said it was not known if the man flying the helicopter held a pilot's license or if he worked for the company that owned the craft, Nautilus Aviation.
“There is no further threat to the community, and we believe this is an isolated incident,” Holmes said.
Nautilus Aviation said in an unattributed written statement that the flight was “unauthorized” but would not supply any further details.
Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker said initial findings of a review Monday showed “no compromise of the airport security program or processes."
About 400 people were evacuated from the hotel after the crash, which happened in the early hours of the morning in a busy tourist district of Cairns -- a tropical city of 150,000 people in far north Queesland -- where it is peak season for holidaymakers. Witnesses told local news outlets the crash sounded like a bomb exploding.
Smoke and flames billowed from the roof of the Doubletree Hilton and one of the helicopter's rotor blades landed in the hotel pool, the Australian broadcaster ABC reported.
The hotel remains cordoned off while its structural integrity is being examined.
Tags: Keywords:Related Articles
No Survivors in West Kalimantan Helicopter Crash
All eight people aboard a crashed helicopter in West Kalimantan have been confirmed dead, rescuers said.Search Team Finds Wreckage of Crashed Helicopter in Kalimantan Forest
Search teams found the wreckage of a helicopter carrying eight people in West Kalimantan, with evacuation delayed.Helicopter Carrying Eight Reported Missing in West Kalimantan
A charter helicopter carrying eight people has gone missing in West Kalimantan, with reports suggesting a possible crash.Two Helicopters Collide Midair in New Jersey
One person was killed and another was left critically injured after two helicopters crashed in southern New Jersey on Sunday.The Latest
Finance Minister Says Prabowo’s Free Meals Program Can Be Cut Even More
Indonesia may further cut spending on Prabowo’s free meals program as authorities tighten oversight and tackle inefficiencies.Prabowo Orders Tough Action After Woman Allegedly Tortured for Years by Boyfriend
A woman missing for nearly three years was found critically injured, prompting national outrage and a presidential response.KPK Investigates ‘Click Fee’ Scheme in Bali Immigration Offices
KPK is probing alleged ‘click fees’ paid to process visas and residence permits for foreigners in Bali.Take Me Down to Jakarta City: Guns N' Roses Returns in 2026
Guns N' Roses will return to Jakarta in 2026, with an intimate stadium concert as part of the band's world tour.Investor Daily Marks Silver Jubilee While Defying Global Decline of Print Media
Investor Daily marked its 25th anniversary after successfully evolving from a print newspaper into a multimedia business news platform.Most Popular
