Australia Helicopter crashes onto hotel roof - pilot dies
Debris was also thrown onto the street.
Image: Keystone
The hotel is located on the famous Esplanade.
Image: dpaKeystone
Parts of the hotel were badly damaged in the crash.
Image: Keystone
The roof of the hotel immediately went up in flames.
Image: Keystone
Debris was also thrown onto the street.
Image: Keystone
The hotel is located on the famous Esplanade.
Image: dpaKeystone
Parts of the hotel were badly damaged in the crash.
Image: Keystone
The roof of the hotel immediately went up in flames.
Image: Keystone
A helicopter crashes onto a hotel in the middle of the night on the waterfront in the city of Cairns. The crash raises questions: There is actually a ban on flying here.
12.08.2024, 05:48
12.08.2024, 05:51
dpa
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- A helicopter has crashed on the roof of a well-known hotel in the northern Australian city of Cairns.
- The pilot died in the accident, which occurred at around two o'clock in the morning (local time).
- The area is actually a no-fly zone.
In the northern Australian city of Cairns, a helicopter has crashed and hit the roof of a well-known hotel. The pilot died in the accident, which occurred at around two o'clock in the morning (local time), according to the Queensland State Police. Parts of the "DoubleTree by Hilton" hotel went up in flames after the crash.
Two rotor blades landed in the pool and on the road, reported ABC. Around 400 people were evacuated from the building as a precaution. Two elderly people were slightly injured and are being treated in hospital. Apart from the pilot, there were no other passengers in the helicopter.
Flight was not authorized
The hotel is located directly on the Esplanade, the popular waterfront promenade of Cairns in tropical Queensland. The area is a no-fly zone. The charter company Nautilus Aviation announced that the helicopter's operation was "not authorized". The company is working closely with the police and other authorities to clarify the incident, the operators emphasized.
One hotel guest reported a "huge, deafening bang". It sounded as if a bomb had gone off. Shortly afterwards, flames were already leaping up the side of the building. The police then evacuated all the guests.
Cairns, with a population of around 160,000, is considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and is popular with tourists from all over the world. The esplanade right by the sea is lined with hotels, bars and restaurants and has an artificial saltwater lagoon for bathers. Northwest of the city is the Daintree National Park with rainforests and beaches.