Helicopter Crashes Into Roof of Hotel in Australian Resort Town
A helicopter crashed into the roof of a Hilton hotel in Cairns, Australia, on Monday, August 12, 2024, resulting in the pilot's death and a significant explosion on the building's rooftop.
The incident occurred around 1:50 AM local time, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of guests from the DoubleTree by Hilton in this popular tropical destination. Emergency services reported that debris from the helicopter, including pieces of its propeller, landed in the hotel's pool.
Witness Amanda Kay recounted how her service dog alerted her to the approaching helicopter, which she described as flying unusually low without its clearance lights. "It was flying so erratically," she said, adding, "There was this huge explosion when it crashed into the building."
Authorities confirmed that the pilot, the helicopter's only occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene. Additionally, two guests in a nearby room were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation.
Video footage shared on social media showed a large fire blazing on the hotel's roof, with bystanders expressing shock at the chaos. "They just flew into that building," one witness exclaimed, adding, "Madness, man. Shivers. People were living in that. It smashed right in."
Queensland Ambulance supervisor Caitlin Denning reported that the aircraft's propellers had become dislodged, with one landing on the nearby Cairns Esplanade and another ending up in the hotel pool, engulfed in flames. She noted that many hotel occupants were initially uncertain about the situation, given the loud explosion that resembled a bomb.
Emergency responders managed to extinguish the roof fire later in the morning. Cairns is known for being a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, attracting numerous tourists.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau commissioner Angus Mitchell noted that flying conditions were challenging at the time of the crash, likely due to poor visibility and possible rain. "Our job now is to gather facts and establish the sequence of events," he stated. A team of experts has been dispatched to investigate the incident, and the bureau is appealing to anyone with photos or video footage related to the helicopter's flight to come forward.