Four people were killed when two helicopters crashed into each other in Australia. Two of them were a British couple.
Diane and Ron Hughes got married in 2021. They were from Liverpool and were 57 and 65 years old.
The crash happened on Monday around 2 p.m. local time on Queensland's Gold Coast, not far from Sea World.
Initial investigations show that a seven-person helicopter that was taking off may have crashed into a six-person helicopter that was landing.
Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were among the seven people in the helicopter. The pilot, who was 40, and a woman who was 36 also died.
Police in Queensland, Australia, said that the British couple was on vacation.
A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition, while a 33-year-old woman and a 9-year-old boy are seriously hurt.
Even though the left front part of the helicopter, where the pilot was sitting, was damaged, the helicopter "remarkably" landed on its feet.
Five people got minor injuries, but the sixth person was not hurt at all.
Dave Boyce, Diane Hughes's brother, posted on Facebook, "For those who don't know, my sister and her husband were in the Gold Coast helicopter crash yesterday."
We also want to say thank you for all the love and help you have given us. We are very sorry that this is happening to us.
In a tweet, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, "Australia is shocked by the terrible and tragic helicopter crash on the Gold Coast today."
"I'm thinking about everyone who was hurt, including the first responders, and my heart goes out to those who are sad."
A witness told Melbourne radio station 3AW that there was a "massive, massive bang," and staff at the theme park moved quickly to close off the areas closest to the crash.
"It was really big. I'm not sure if the noise came from the propellers or something else. But this poor woman and her son were crying near the helipad."
The head of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Angus Mitchell, said that the accident was a "tragic way to start the new year."
He said that the main rotors of the helicopter that was taking off hit the main rotors of the helicopter that was landing about 200 meters in the air. This caused a lot of damage to the front part of the helicopter that was landing.
During the process, the plane's rotor blades and gearbox came apart from the plane's main body.
Mr. Mitchell told the reporters, "We're very lucky that there weren't a lot more deaths."
Because of a sandbank, it was hard for emergency workers to get to the site of the crash.
Sea World Helicopters, which is not part of the theme park, sent its condolences and said it was "devastated" and would help with the investigation.
A statement said, "We and the whole flying community are devastated by what happened, and our deepest condolences go to everyone involved, especially the loved ones and family of those who died."