Latest news with #helicopteraccident
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Arab News
Five dead in helicopter collision in Finland, police say
Five people were killed on Saturday when two helicopters collided and crashed in a wooded area near Eura Airport in southwestern Finland, police said. Police said the mid-air collision occurred shortly after noon near the town of Kauttua, with the wreckage falling some 700 metres from the Ohikulkutie road. "Five people have died in a helicopter accident near Eura Airport on Saturday," Detective Chief Inspector Johannes Siirilä of the National Bureau of Investigation said. According to flight plans, there were two people aboard one helicopter and three in the other, police said, adding that both helicopters were registered outside Finland. One helicopter was registered in Estonia, the other in Austria, according to an Estonian Public Broadcasting report, citing Finland's Helsingin Sanomat newspaper. Both belonged to Estonian companies. One was owned by NOBE and the other by Eleon, the report added. The helicopters were reportedly en route to a hobby aviation event, according to the Pori Aviation Club, Yle News reported. The National Bureau of Investigation is leading a joint probe with local police, and Finnish and Estonian authorities are cooperating.
The Guardian
17-05-2025
- The Guardian
Five people killed in mid-air helicopter collision in Finland
Five people were killed on Saturday when two helicopters collided and crashed in a wooded area near Eura airport in south-western Finland, police said. Police said the mid-air collision occurred shortly after noon near the town of Kauttua, with the wreckage falling 700 metres from the Ohikulkutie road. 'Five people have died in a helicopter accident near Eura airport on Saturday,' Det Ch Insp Johannes Siirilä, of the National Bureau of Investigation, said. Media reported that the helicopters had taken off from Estonia and were carrying business people, with three people in one and two in the other. Finnish newspaper Iltalehti quoted a witness, Antti Marjanen, as saying they saw one of the helicopters hit the other during a manoeuvre. 'One of them dropped like a stone and the other one more slowly. I didn't hear any sound,' Marjanen was quoted as saying. One helicopter was registered in Estonia and the other in Austria, according to an Estonian Public Broadcasting report, citing Finland's Helsingin Sanomat newspaper. Both belonged to Estonian companies. One was owned by NOBE and the other by Eleon, the report added. The helicopters were reportedly en route to a hobby aviation event, according to the Pori Aviation Club. The National Bureau of Investigation is leading a joint inquiry with local police, and Finnish and Estonian authorities are cooperating.
ABC News
14-05-2025
- ABC News
Widow 'pleased' CASA failed to have case dropped over Chris 'Willow' Wilson's helicopter crash death
A judge has rejected a bid by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to be dropped from a legal case pursued by the widow of Netflix star Chris "Willow" Wilson following his death in a helicopter accident. Mr Wilson was harvesting crocodile eggs in a 'human sling' under a helicopter in a remote area of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory in February 2022 when it crashed. The father of two, who stared in Croc Territory, died at the scene, while the pilot was severely injured. A 'no blame' investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the crash was likely caused by fuel exhaustion, which made the engine cut out. According to the report, during the crash the pilot released the 34-year-old "above a likely‑survivable height", fatally injuring him. Danielle Wilson is suing the CASA over her husband's death alongside his co-star, celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright, and his company Helibrook, the operator of the helicopter. At an interlocutory hearing in the Federal Court, CASA attempted to have the case against them struck out by arguing the regulator should not be held responsible for the death when the helicopter operator failed to comply with safety conditions. Counsel for CASA, Rusell McIllwaine SC, told the court while CASA allowed Helibrook to collect crocodile eggs using a helicopter and sling, it set a height limit of five metres. "Helibrook failed to comply with that requirement or condition imposed by CASA," he said. Mr McIllwaine told the court that Ms Wilson's case against Helibrook "was that the reason Mr Wilson died was because he was released by the pilot at a height above five metres". "Their case is that Helibrook did precisely what CASA said they couldn't do," he said. Mr McIllwaine told the court this created "logical inconsistencies" in the case involving multiple respondents because if Ms Wilson was alleging Helibrook's actions caused her husband's death, they were in breach of the conditions set out by the regulator. "CASA can't take reasonable precautions; they can just impose the conditions," he said, arguing the case against CASA should be dropped as it did not have a reasonable prospect of success. Ms Wilson's legal representative David Lloyd SC told the court their primary case was that "Mr Wilson should never have been in the air' because CASA "should never have approved the activities of that kind". He said their case was based on alleged failure of CASA to conduct proper surveillance or oversight over Helibrook. "You don't just approve things for highly risky activities and leave it there," he said. Justice Elizabeth Raper did not accept CASA's claims, dismissed the regulator's application to have the case dropped and ordered them to pay Ms Wilson's costs for the interlocutory hearing. Speaking outside court, Ms Wilson told reporters she was "pleased we heard in court today that we do have an arguable case against CASA". The case continues.
