British couple dies in Australia helicopter crash

A British couple has been identified among the victims of a mid-air collision between two helicopters in Australia.

The Queensland Police, on Tuesday, said the British couple, Diane Hughes, 57, and her 65-year-old husband Ron, were from Neston, Cheshire, adding that they got married last year and were on holiday.

Their pilot and another passenger also died in Monday’s crash, which occurred as one helicopter was taking off from a sandbar and the other was landing.

Three others, including two children, were badly injured and are in hospital.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hughes’ daughter, Jane Manns, said: “Our family is heartbroken and we are still trying to contact friends and family to let them know.

“Please respect our privacy at this devastating time.”

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In a public Facebook post, Mrs Hughes’ brother, Dave Boyce, thanked friends for their support, adding: “We are truly humbled at this heartbreaking time.”

Ron Hughes owned a home interiors company based in Neston on the Wirral peninsula, about 12 miles (18km) South-West of Liverpool.

Australian media reported that 36-year-old Vanessa Tadros also died in the crash, while her 10-year-old son was critically injured.

The fourth victim was 40-year-old Ashley Jenkinson, an experienced Sea World Helicopters pilot who was originally from Birmingham but lived in the Gold Coast area.

The cause of the crash, which happened near the Sea World resort about 80km (50 miles) South-East of Brisbane, has yet to be ascertained.

Both helicopters were operating tourist flights for the resort.

Its owner, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, has offered condolences and said Sea World Helicopters was an independent operator.

Officials said it happened less than 20 seconds after one of the helicopters had taken off.

All those killed and critically injured were in the ascending helicopter, which crashed within seconds after its main rotor blade struck the cockpit of the other aircraft, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said.

The second helicopter landed upright on the sandbank. Five of the six people on board suffered minor injuries.

The Star