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A frightening scene unfolded at the Hilton Hotel in Cairns when a twin-engine helicopter crashed onto the hotel's roof, killing the pilot.
Authorities reported that the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning, August 12, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of guests and staff from the luxury DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
Guests described being jolted awake by a loud bang, followed by alarm sirens and evacuation orders, with emergency services arriving promptly.
Footage from the scene captured flames and smoke rising into the night sky as onlookers watched in shock. A fire was visible on the building's roof but was reportedly extinguished by dawn. The area, located in a busy tourist district, has been cordoned off by police. Nautilus Aviation, the charter company involved, stated it is cooperating with officials in investigating the "unauthorised use" of one of its aircraft.
Witness Veronica Knight, who was visiting Cairns from Sydney, was sitting on the esplanade, talking on the phone after midnight, when she saw a helicopter fly by very low over the water.
It was going “full speed,” she said. It disappeared from her sight for a few minutes, and she started walking home before seeing the helicopter flying back. As she pulled out her phone to film it, the helicopter veered and headed straight towards the nearby well-lit buildings.
Seconds later, it hit the roof of the hotel.
Police said in a statement they received reports at 1:50 a.m. of the crash, which caused a fire on top of the building. The hotel was evacuated, and nobody was injured, police said.
The pilot – and sole occupant of the helicopter – was declared dead at the scene, police said.
In a statement, DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns said all of its guests – 421 adults and 50 children, plus two staff – were safely evacuated, and the hotel was arranging alternative accommodation for guests on Monday night. It is working with authorities on the investigation, it said.
Police have declared an exclusion zone in the area, urging the public to stay away.
Other investigators include the forensic crash unit and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which sent a team to the crash site on Monday to gather evidence and conduct interviews.
Lewis Musonye
