Chopper Crash off Cairns..

[flopter]

Chopper crash News Link (http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/chopper-crash-off-cairns/story-e6frg12u-1225981200389)

A HELICOPTER has crashed off Cairns in far north Queensland with four people on board.
Police say the accident happened before 5pm (AEST) about 1km off the mouth of the Barron River.

They say all those on board are safe and have been taken to Cairns Base Hospital for observation.

No other details are available.


/Hope are ok.

[blakmax]

Seven news Queensland reports it was an R44 and the pictures showed the aircraft inverted with only the floats visible. Pilot and three chinese tourists all survived.

[The Pheonix]

Heli Charters helicopter crashes at mouth of Barron River

Daniel Strudwick
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
© The Cairns Post

ALAN Cracknell and Ian Jones hadn't been out in the fishing boat for nearly a year. But when they did take the tinny out for a trawl at the mouth of the Barron River yesterday, the fishing mates were in the right place at the right time.
About 4.15pm, a Heli Charters helicopter dropped into the ocean off Machans Beach, 400m from where the men were fishing.
"I said to Ian, 'That chopper's going down', and then by the time he turned around, the tail was under," Mr Cracknell said.
"I thought it was trying to land on the water, but then it just dived."
Many fishermen on the shore nearby were oblivious to the unfolding drama as the quick-thinking duo rushed to the rescue.
The Robinson 44 Raven One aircraft had been returning from a 30 minute chartered tour of the Reef with three Chinese tourists and a pilot on board.
The helicopter's engine failed about 300m from the shore.
"The tail rotor stopped working and it just dropped," Mr Jones said.
"As we got closer, we could see the heads in the water.
"By the time we got there, they were about 10m away from the chopper."
Mr Cracknell praised the pilot's actions.
"The entire cockpit was under water when we got to them. Ten points to the pilot for getting them out safely," he said.
"He had them huddled together in the recovery position, lying on their backs and they were pretty happy to get out of the water."
The rescuers pulled the sodden group aboard their boat and took them to a search-and-rescue vessel waiting in the channel.
Despite their rescue mission, the men humbly denied any suggestions they were heroes.
"If we hadn't got there, someone else would've," Mr Cracknell said.
"We weren't the biggest boat out there, but we were probably the closest so we thought, 'Better get out there and rescue some people if we can'."
Spectators lined the shore when police and ambulance officers arrived soon after.
The 34-year-old-pilot, a 40-year-old man, and two women, aged 36 and 46, were taken to Cairns Base Hospital. They were discharged last night.
Heli Charters declined to comment on the incident except to report that all passengers were uninjured and accounted for.
The submerged helicopter is expected to be pulled from the water today. Aviation Fire and Rescue officers attached a flashing buoy to the aircraft to monitor its location.
– Additional reporting Laura Packham

Good to see everyone is O.K.
Personally, I would've been worried about the crocodiles in the water more than anything else!:eek:

[topendtorque]

Personally, I would've been worried about the crocodiles in the water more than anything else!


no reports of suspicious crocs lurking about are there?:E:E

Might have to get the CASA croc crew onto them.

[blakmax]

Nah, TET. I grew up in Cairns. There were no crocs then. Probably the sharks and lethal box jelly fish stingers got them all.

[md 600 driver]

they removed a large salt water croc in the lagoon at cairns a few years ago

steve

[RVDT]

Think they are just called "mud geckos" these days! :p

[heliduck]

Sabre Tooth Geckos.

[lelebebbel]

the rumor mill says: not enough blue stuff in the tanks, and too much blue stuff under the skids...

[Nigel Osborn]

Whoops!!!!!!:ok: