A helicopter that took off without authorization crashed into the roof of a Hilton hotel in Cairns, Australia, on Monday, resulting in the pilot's death and prompting the evacuation of hundreds of guests due to a fire, according to authorities.
Emergency services were dispatched around 2am (1600 GMT on Sunday) after the twin-engine helicopter struck the hotel's roof, igniting a fire and necessitating evacuations, Queensland police stated. The helicopter had been removed from its hangar at Cairns airport for an 'unauthorized flight,' police detailed, without providing further information. The pilot, whose identity remains unknown and was the sole occupant, was confirmed dead at the scene.
Police characterized the incident as isolated, with no danger to public safety, and noted that the pilot's motives and the method of acquiring the aircraft were unclear. The crash occurred at the Double Tree Hotel in Cairns, a key city en route to the Great Barrier Reef, according to hotel reception. The hotel remained closed at 5.30pm (0730 GMT), with guests relocated elsewhere.
Two elderly hotel guests, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s, were released from the hospital, reported state broadcaster ABC, which also mentioned that two rotor blades detached, with one landing in the hotel pool. The forensic crash unit will collaborate with Australia's transport safety regulator to determine the specifics of the incident. Helicopter owner Nautilus Aviation confirmed its cooperation with the police investigation into the unauthorized use of the aircraft.
