PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Three killed in South Australia Helicopter crash
Old 19th Aug 2011, 00:50
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John Eacott
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Age: 75
Posts: 4,378
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Latest eyewitness report:

Journalist Paul Lockyer, pilot Gary Ticehurst, and cameraman John Bean are believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash in the far north of South Australia last night. Local tour operator Rex Ellis told 891 Breakfast he had just farewelled the trio when he said there appeared to be problems shortly after the helicopter's ascent.

The helicopter had taken off from Cooper Inlet, 140km north of Maree, when the problems occurred.
"It went pretty low, on the other side of the river, and then briefly went out of sight on the other side of the dunes and then we didn't hear anything."
Taking off just after 7:00pm, Rex said the chopper had circled and flew for less than a minute before it quickly descended.
"We just saw a glow and we realised something pretty bad had happened."
Rex and the other witnesses alerted the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the police as they quickly travelled across the river in boats.
"It took us about an hour to get to the scene, but it was too late to do anything for them."
ABC Managing Director Mark Scott said the team had been working on a news and feature project at the time of the accident.
He described the men as 'the best of the best' in their fields.
South Australian police have confirmed the location of two deceased persons in the wreckage of the crash, with the search continuing this morning to locate the third person believed to have been in the helicopter.
Mr Scott said police were not expecting survivors from the crash.
He said he had spoken with the families of the staff last night and expressed how much their husbands and fathers meant to the ABC, with his thoughts, love and prayers with the families.
SA Police said official confirmation of the names of those who died in the crash would not be made until later in the day.
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