Sea World Helicopter crash: Grief turns to anger after Gold Coast tragedy as video emerges

Passengers have hailed the hero helicopter pilot who incredibly managed to land his crippled chopper safely as chilling video of the tragic Sea World crash emerges.

But for those who have lost loved ones in the tragedy which killed four and left three others critically injured, their grief has turned to anger.

‘There is no need to do it – the two helicopters take off about 400 metres apart,’ said Neil de Silva, whose wife Winnie and stepson Leon are fighting for life in hospital.

‘For me, I think, ‘Why on earth would you have them cross each other’s path?’ It’s just not necessary.’

Neil de Silva (pictured)  is demanding answers following the horrific helicopter crash that  left his wife injured 

Shocking video footage shows the moment one passenger tried to warn pilot Michael James, 52, of the other chopper on a collision course with their aircraft.

He can be seen pointing wildly out the window and tapping the pilot’s shoulder urgently before tightly gripping the seat in front of him as he braces for impact. 

Moments later the helicopter cabin explodes in a shower of shattered glass and metal as the rotor blades of the other chopper slice through the cockpit.

The pilot and passengers are blasted by the shards of deadly debris but amazingly Mr James manages to keep control of the badly damaged aircraft and land nearby. 

One of the passengers can be seen pointing out the window before the collision.

He then taps the pilot on the shoulder to draw his attention to the impending danger

The passenger then grip the pilots seat tightly to brace for impact

Moments later the helicopter cabin explodes in a shower of shattered glass and metal as the rotor blades of the other chopper slice through the cockpit

Now his grateful passengers say they owe him their life for his cool head and quick response in the face of unimaginable terror in a cockpit destroyed in the impact.

Two couples from Auckland in New Zealand were on board the pleasure flight with another tourist from Western Australia when the accident happened around 2pm on Monday at Sea World on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

The two couples who were travelling together – Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg and Marle and Edward Swart – paid tribute to the pilot in a joint statement on Thursday.

‘To our pilot, who, through all the chaos, landed the Helicopter safely, keeping us and other bystanders safe. You are our hero. Thank you so very much,’ they said. 

Two New Zeaand couples who were travelling together on board the aircraft – Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg and Marle and Edward Swart – have hailed the hero pilot

‘Our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the injured and the deceased and their families.

‘We are grateful and blessed to have been spared but very sad for the people who lost loved ones and the little ones and mum fighting for their lives in hospital.

‘Our hearts are so heavy for them.’

Four people in the second helicopter died in the crash when the rotor unit and gearbox were ripped off their aircraft, sending it plummeting upside down into the sandbar below.

British couple Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57 died when a Sea World EC130 helicopter collided with another chopper mid-air and plummeted 30 metres near the Sea World theme park at 2pm on Monday

Sea World helicopters chief pilot Ash ‘Jenko’ Jenkinson, 40, died in the helicopter crash (pictured with his wife, Kosha)

Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, was killed while her 10-year-old son Nicholas survived the helicopter crash on Monday

Vanessa Tadros, 36, died along with British newlyweds Ron Hughes, 65, and wife Diane, 57, and chief pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40. 

Vanessa’s son Nicholas Tadros, 10 and Leon de Silva, 9, are both clinging to life in hospital.

Leon is in an induced coma with a fractured skull at Gold Coast Hospital while Nicholas has been put on life support in a critical condition at Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Nicholas’ mother Leon’s mother Winnie, 33, was also airlifted to hospital with multiple broken bones.

Survivors of the Sea World helicopter crash. Geelong residents, Winnie de Silva (mother) and Leon de Silva (son) 

Winnie de Silva (left) has two broken legs, a broken right shoulder, a broken collarbone and a damaged left knee after the Sea World helicopter crash. Leon (right) has a fractured skull and is in an induced coma

Ms de Silva who was in the lower helicopter said on Wednesday from her hospital bed that she heard a ‘loud bang’ and felt ‘shaking’ when the two helicopters collided.

‘I could see the pilot pressing all these buttons, stressed out – he didn’t know what to do. I don’t remember much [after that] but everyone was trembling and worried,’ Ms de Silva told the Herald Sun.

Gripped with terror as the Eurocopter EC130 started to nosedive towards the ground, she squeezed her son’s hand as tightly as she could.

‘The only thing I could see was death in my eyes. I didn’t want to see death in my eyes so I closed them and held my son’s hand beside me,’ she said.

She remembers opening her eyes while trapped in the wreckage.

‘My feet and right arm were stuck. I remember screaming and yelling out for help… I wasn’t able to get out,’ Ms de Silva said.

It is understood the helicopter taking off clipped another helicopter above and then nosedived into the sand 

Mr de Silva has relived the moments leading up to the crash and his horror as he watched it unfold.

‘It was almost as if it wasn’t real,’ he told Nine’s A Current Affair. ‘Part of your brain (is) saying it is real, the other part’s … just comprehending it.

‘I thought everyone would die on the helicopter and I’m sort of fighting myself to be positive.

‘So we feel incredibly grateful and just that they’re both alive. It’s just amazing.’

One of the first on the scene has revealed how he tried to help fatally injured British newlywed Ron Hughes before hearing the screams of Ms de Silva.

Ron Drevlak and his wife were walking their dog on the Gold Coast when the horror happened just above their heads on Monday.

Ron Drevlak has described how he rushed to the aid of those in the helicopter.

‘The noise and the thud of it hitting the ground, I cannot get it out of my head,’ Mr Drevlak told 7 News.

‘The first person I saw was Ron, we cut the seat belt we pulled him out and pulled him away but he was very pale.

‘That’s when I heard Winnie, she was just screaming.

‘I said, ‘Look don’t worry, help is on the way, it’s only water we’re just trying to dilute the fuel’.’

The New Zealand survivors in the other aircraft also paid tribute to those who arrived on the scene to help.

Ms Steenberg revealed that she was still being treated for her injuries after the fragments of the cockpit peppered the passengers with shrapnel wounds 

‘Our gratitude goes out to every bystander who ran to help, every police officer and emergency services personnel who helped us with our immediate needs keeping us calm and making us comfortable.

‘We saw mateship in action. Australians come together to help in time of need.

‘We would like to extend our great thanks to the hospital staff taking care of us for their kindness and compassion during this traumatic experience.’

Ms Steenberg revealed that she was still being treated for her injuries after the fragments of the cockpit peppered the passengers with shrapnel wounds.

‘I am still in hospital in the Gold Coast, recovering from my injuries,’ she posted on Facebook.

‘All I can say thank you to God for sparing all of us.’

The Steenburg’s son Enrico also added his gratitude to the pilot for his display of airmanship and skill to bring his helicopter down without a fatality. 

‘Thanks to the pilot for saving my parents from the crash and all prayers to the family who lost their loved ones,’ he wrote on Instagram.