Owner of Sea World helicopters breaks his silence

The owner of the company involved in the mid-air collision that claimed the lives of four people on the Gold Coast has broken his silence. 

Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, was killed when his helicopter was struck by another helicopter descending to land above the water of Queensland’s Gold Coast at about 2pm on Monday.

The father-of-one, as well as British newlyweds Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, were killed in the horror crash. 

Vanessa’s son Nicholas Tadros, 10, and mother-and-son Winnie and Leon de Silva, 9, were also onboard the helicopter and were left critically injured.

The other helicopter managed to land safely, but the windscreen was damaged. Terrifying footage from inside the chopper shows a passenger trying to warn the pilot of the oncoming aircraft just moments before the collision. 

In an emotional statement on Thursday, Sea World Helicopters John Orr-Campbell described Mr Jenkinson as a ‘first-class pilot and a first-class man’.

The helicopters collided on the Southport Broadwater at about 2pm on Monday

‘I knew Ash personally for nine years. He was a fine man and a standout pilot with 6,210 hours of flying to his name,’ Mr Orr-Campbell wrote. 

‘To lose a man and a pilot of Ash’s calibre is shocking in every sense of the word. I, along with all the staff at Sea World Helicopters are gutted to the core. My heart aches as I think of Ash’s fiancée Kosha and his one-year-old son Kayden.

‘I would also like to commend the other pilot, Michael James, who heroically got the second aircraft to the ground safely. We wish him well in his recovery.’

Mr Orr-Campbell revealed the experienced pilot had obtained his Commercial Pilots License in June, 2008 and flew choppers in Western Australia until 2011. 

‘During this time Ash showed his love and commitment to community – he was involved in multiple search and rescue flights in the area,’ he said. 

‘This community mindedness saw him dedicate over 700 hours and many days away from family and friends assisting in firefighting operations across Australia.’

Mr Jenkinson is survived by his fiancée Kosha (pictured right) and his one-year-old son Kayden

In 2019, Mr Jenkinson became Chief Pilot of Sea World Helicopters and oversaw all aspects of safety and flight operations for the company. 

‘We have lost a first-class pilot, a first-class man and a wonderful father, partner and friend,’ Mr Orr-Campbell wrote. 

‘RIP Ash, you will forever be in our hearts.’

Dozens of the pilot’s loved ones have flooded his personal Facebook page with messages of love and support in the days following his death. 

‘We used to talk about his job a lot, a job he absolutely loved which not only included rides for tourists but also he battled the intense bush fires a few years back and helped the flood victims,’ said one person.

‘I know that fun, positive, adventurous spirit of the legend that you are will live on through the lives of everyone that knew you,’ another wrote. 

‘Ash was the most kind hearted and selfless man to walk the earth. The love he had for his beautiful family and friends was certainly one of a kind and this extended to anyone who would cross his path,’ a woman wrote. 

A GoFundMe has raised more than $12,000 of its $15,000 goal to give $5,000 to each of the families impacted by the crash. 

Organiser Ritchie Gregg said Mr Jenkinson had come to the aid of the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers communities during the flood crisis. 

‘This year he poured his heart into the Northern New South Wales flood relief work where he spent countless hours supplying and rescuing those in need that otherwise would have never have received any help,’ he wrote. 

‘He also worked hard throughout the Australian bushfires and conducted numerous animal rescues. He is our hero and has a huge heart.’

It comes as terrifying footage shows the moment a passenger tried to warn pilot Michael James that the other chopper was on a collision course with the 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.