A tragic helicopter crash into the roof of a Cairns hotel early Monday morning resulted in the death of the pilot and the evacuation of up to 400 guests. The incident occurred at around 1:50 a.m. local time at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, causing a massive fireball and widespread panic among those inside.
Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports that a twin-engine helicopter had crashed into the building's roof. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the helicopter, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are working to formally identify him.
The helicopter's owner, Nautilus Aviation, revealed that the flight was unauthorized. In a statement provided to ABC News, the company said, "Nautilus Aviation is working closely with Queensland Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and other authorities as they investigate the unauthorized use of one of our helicopters in the early hours of this morning. As we continue to fully support the ongoing investigation, we will not be making further comments at this time."
The Courier-Mail reported that no flight plan had been filed for the helicopter, and it remains unclear if the pilot was employed by the company. NewsWire reached out to Nautilus Aviation for further comments, but no additional information was provided.
A witness, Veronica Knight, described the moments leading up to the crash. "It seemed to come from the pier and went straight down over the sea, really fast," she told Sunrise on Monday morning. "I thought, 'wow, that doesn't look right.' It was pretty low, so I tried to video it, but it went too fast. Then it disappeared for about five to 10 minutes before coming back again along the sea and The Esplanade. Suddenly, it veered to the right, and I saw a big explosion. It hit the hotel, and there was a huge fire."
The crash led to a fire on the hotel's roof, prompting the evacuation of approximately 400 people. Remarkably, no one on the ground was injured. Paramedics arrived shortly after 2 a.m. and treated several people, including a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s, who were taken to Cairns Hospital in stable condition.
Queensland Ambulance Service's Far Northern Region supervisor, Caitlin Dennings, reported that witnesses likened the crash to a bomb explosion. She also confirmed that parts of the helicopter, including two propellers, were found scattered across the area, with one landing in the hotel's pool.
Police have cordoned off the area, and an exclusion zone remains in place, covering The Esplanade and nearby streets. Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area as investigations continue.
