I see all the usual faces popping up in this thread.
There had been earlier reports of the chopper spinning as it landed but latest media reports talk about a controlled descent into water. Due to the "Big Bang" theory, some fellow pilots are speculating there might have been a tail rotor birdstrike. Press footage show a lack of TR blades as it was salvaged but this could've been due to impacting the water.
I would be surprised that a new (< 1 year old) engine suffered fatigue failure but the "big bang" could equally have been caused by disintegrating turbine blades (for whatever reason) exiting the turbine housing (just speculating again). If there was no loss of height, I doubt the pilot would've put it into the water.
Whatever happened, it was a lucky escape. Credit to the Aussie captain and Macanese co-jo.
