The helicopter pilot and his wife die instantly in a terror accident, but their three children survive after being miraculously dragged from the wrecked bones.
- A helicopter crashed Tuesday on a beach 200km north of Christchurch
- Pilot Andrew Hamish Davidson flew with his wife Lin and their three children
- The couple died, but their two children and another were seriously injured
- The three survivors were taken to hospital after being removed from the wreckage
- The brave spectators used a tractor to drag the injured people from the scene of the accident
The two people killed in a horrific helicopter crash were a husband and wife who were going on a noon cruise with three children.
Andrew Hamish Davidson was flying the helicopter with his wife Lin when it crashed Tuesday on a rocky beach near the Kekerengu River, about 200 km north of Christchurch.
The couple’s two young children and a third child survived the crash, but were swept away by wreckage by locals who watched the helicopter down.
Some residents used a tractor to rescue the seriously injured survivors, who were taken to Wellington Hospital.
Andrew Hamish Davidson (pictured) was piloting the helicopter with his wife Lin when it crashed Tuesday on a rocky beach near the Kekerengu River, about 200 km north of Christchurch.
A five-occupant helicopter crashed and crashed (remains shown in the image above) onto a rocky beach near the Kekerengu River on the South Island of New Zealand on Tuesday.
A relative of Mr Davidson told Stuff the crash was “a shock” as he had only owned the helicopter for two months.
“The children have been left without parents,” the relative said.
The group had flown to the popular The Store restaurant for lunch when the helicopter ran into trouble while trying to land.
Residents in the area ripped off the front window to free the children, for fear it might catch fire.
Davidson was CEO of Enatel Motive Power and incorporated the helicopter rental company Glenloch Helicopters Limited on September 28th.
The helicopter had been moved in his name on 10 October.
Davidson and his wife also run a bed and breakfast in Ohaka, north of Canterbury.
Residents in the area have described their shock and horror at witnessing the helicopter crash on the rocky beach.
Two occupants died and three children were rushed to Wellington Hospital (crash site pictured)
Bed and Breakfast owner Lyn Mehrtens said she was standing in her kitchen when she saw the helicopter turning to the ground.
“I just saw the helicopter circling and circling and it went down … I think it must have gone into the water,” he said.
My husband just took off. He said, “God, I have to go.”
Mrs Mehrtens’ husband, Ian, said locals joined him in removing people from the wreckage.
Mehrtens told 1News that the helicopter suddenly turned about 30 to 40 meters from the ground.
Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash in Clarence (pictured), 200km north of Christchurch, and brave spectators rescued the three children from the wreckage.
“I went to see if I could help and it was a bit of a disaster. Pieces and pieces everywhere and people screaming inside the helicopter,” he said.
“One girl was crying and screaming for her mother and the others weren’t too healthy.”
The region is known for its whale-detecting helicopter flights, based from Kaikoura, about 30 km south.
A St John Ambulance spokesman said three emergency helicopters, from Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch, were dispatched to the crash site.
Two ambulances and a St John manager also attended the scene.
“Our ambulance crews treated three patients, all with serious injuries, and all three were airlifted to Wellington Hospital,” the spokesman said.
The Civil Aviation Authority and the Transportation Accident Investigation Commission are investigating the accident.
Spectators used a tractor to drag children from the crash site (image of the Kekerengu River) before being taken to Wellington Hospital with serious injuries