Bali chopper crash victims release shocking new footage, claim operator abandoned medical bills
Mr Harris and partner Keylla from Indonesia chose to relive the traumatic experience on the one-year anniversary for a grim reason: they feel abandoned by the operator who was on the hook for their medical recovery costs.
The pair alleged on 9 News on Friday night that the operator, PT. Whitesky Aviation stopped paying their medical bills after just three months despite an agreement to do so long-term.
They also used the occasion to share footage from inside the chopper, capturing the 300 metre fall from the sky after the aircraft struck a ceremonial kite that is common in Bali's skies.
Five people were on board, including two Australian tourists and three Indonesian nationals, and all survived.
Authorities have launched an investigation and are reviewing kite�flying regulations near airports and flight paths in Bali to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Early investigations confirmed that the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X became entangled in a kite string, causing its rotor blades to jam and forcing a crash just minutes after takeoff near Suluban Beach in Pecatu Village, South Kuta.
PT Whitesky Aviation (operating as Bali Heli Tour) also acknowledged that the incident occurred when the helicopter's rotor got wrapped in a kite string.
Government and aviation authorities used the incident to strengthen safety protocols and regulations, particularly rules on kite-flying near airports and aviation flight paths.
But recounting the moment the chopper struck the ground a year on, Mr Harris said, 'I'm upside down. I cannot release myself. I cannot get out. I'm trying for all my life because all I'm looking at is this fluid dripping in front of me.'
'I'm thinking, 'I've survived before, but now I'm about to die in a fireball.'
The pair detailed the importance of the ongoing medical expenses the operator has allegedly agreed to cover.
'If they stuck to their agreement and we got the right treatment that we're supposed to get, would we be sitting here in a comfortable state? Absolutely,' Mr Harris said
Keylla told the program, 'since the accident. I can't work, I can't even take care of my kids. So these people need to know that our life is totally messed up.'
PT. Whitesky Aviation, which hasn't responded to the claims, still operates scenic flights in Bali.
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