The pilot of a stolen helicopter has died after crashing into the rooftop of a Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Cairns, Australia.
The accident occurred at around 02:00 local time on August 12, 2024.
Emergency services were then called to the Doubletree by Hilton hotel, a popular hotel in the touristy esplanade area of Cairns in Queensland.
The unidentified pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter and was declared dead at the scene by Queensland police.
Around 400 people were evacuated from the hotel, with two elderly guests treated at the Cairns Hospital for smoke inhalation and shock.
The helicopter, a Robinson R44 Raven II, with registration VH-ERH, belonged to Nautilus Aviation, a helicopter tour agency in Cairns.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer Aaron Finn told The Australian that the helicopter was taken from Cairns Airport (CNS) early in the morning, and that the flight was “unauthorized”.
“Nautilus Aviation are working closely with the Queensland Police Service, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other authorities as they investigate the unauthorized use of one of our helicopters in the early hours of this morning,” the company said in a statement to Australian media outlets.
Being the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is a popular tourist destination and, as such, several video clips of the incident were captured and uploaded to social media.
The footage shows the blaze and smoke billowing from the rooftop of the hotel. Several witnesses told Australian media that a loud explosion was heard in the early hours of August 12, 2024.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell told media that investigations are currently underway, but it is still too early to tell whether the crash had been accidental or deliberate.
