A helicopter pilot has died after an aircraft crashed into the roof of a luxury Cairns hotel during an alleged "unauthorised" late night flight. or signup to continue reading Around 400 guests were evacuated after hit the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Cairns' Esplanade at 1.50am on August 12, police said.
The helicopter, owned by the Cairns tour agency Nautilus Aviation, had allegedly not been cleared for use by the company. Nautilus Aviation said it was "working closely with the Queensland Police Service, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other authorities as they investigate the unauthorised use of one of our helicopters in the early hours of this morning". Forensic investigations are underway to formally identify the sole occupant of the helicopter, police said.
Investigators cleared the area and established an exclusion zone around the hotel asking members of the public to avoid the city's Esplanade around Minnie Street, Abbott Street and Florence Street. Police said the crash started a blaze on the hotel's roof but guests had been safely evacuated. Queensland Ambulance senior operations supervisor in Caitlin Denning said it was "too unsafe" to inspect the crash from inside the hotel.
"The helicopter impacted the roof of the hotel, however two propellers have dislodged," she said. "One landed on the Cairns Esplanade and there was a second propeller located in the hotel pool on the bottom floor and it was on fire. "There were reports of it sounding like a bomb, and seeing the fire and smoke, a lot of the occupants of the hotel were unsure of the situation.
" The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel shares a block with Vision Cairns Apartments, Crystalbrook Riley Hotel and Crystalbrook's towering rooftop restaurant Rocco. The Forensic Crash Unit and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will prepare a report for the Coroner, police said. An investigation into the crash is continuing.
Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.
[email protected] Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM).
She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.
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