Helicopter on ‘unauthorized flight’ crashes onto roof of Australian hotel, killing pilot

By Hilary Whiteman and Jessie Yeung, CNN

Brisbane, Australia (CNN) — Police are still working to identify a helicopter pilot killed when the aircraft hit a luxury hotel and burst into flames during an “unauthorized flight” in the early hours of Monday in Cairns, Australia.

Hundreds of guests and staff of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel were evacuated after the helicopter crashed into the building near Cairns Esplanade, a waterfront boardwalk popular with travelers in the north Queensland city.

Two holidaymakers, who were asleep in a room on the top floor of the hotel at the time of the incident, were taken to hospital with minor injuries, authorities said. The helicopter burst into flames on impact, and images showed damage to some windows.

Queensland Police acting assistant commissioner Shane Holmes said the pilot had made “an unauthorized flight,” but declined to comment on whether the helicopter had been stolen, or whether the crash was deliberate, saying all lines of inquiry remained open.

Charter company Nautilus Aviation said Monday it was working with officials as they investigate the “unauthorized use” of one of the company’s aircraft.

Angus Mitchell, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), said investigators believe the helicopter took off from the general aviation hangar at Cairns Airport, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the hotel.

“We know that visibility was down at the time and there was possible rain,” he said.

“We want to understand what the helicopter was equipped with, but also potentially what the helicopter was doing at the time and any nature of the flight.”

Witness Veronica Knight, who was visiting Cairns from Sydney, was sitting on the esplanade, talking on the phone after midnight, when she saw a helicopter fly by very low over the water.

It was going “full speed,” she told CNN. It disappeared from her sight for a few minutes, and she started walking home before seeing the helicopter flying back. As she pulled out her phone to film it, the helicopter veered and headed straight toward the nearby well-lit buildings.

Seconds later, it hit the roof of the hotel.

Police said in a statement they received reports at 1:50 a.m. of the crash, which caused a fire on top of the building. The hotel was evacuated, police said – and Knight added that the guests “looked stunned” as they left the building.

Her videos show the orange glow of flames and smoke coming from the top of the hotel, while sirens wail in the distance.

The pilot – and sole occupant of the helicopter – was declared dead at the scene, police said.

Knight said the helicopter had passed over trees and another taller building before hitting the roof of the seven-story hotel.

“[The pilot] would have known those buildings were there,” said Knight. “The strange thing is it went straight past a tall building nearby, and it went straight past the tall one and got a lower one.”

In a statement to CNN, DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns said all of its guests – 421 adults and 50 children, plus two staff – were safely evacuated, and the hotel was arranging alternative accommodation for guests on Monday night. It is working with authorities on the investigation, it said.

Police declared an exclusion zone in the area, urging the public to stay away.

Other investigators include the forensic crash unit and the ATSB, which sent a team to the crash site on Monday to gather evidence and conduct interviews.

The bureau asked witnesses with any photos or videos of the helicopter to contact authorities through its website.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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