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American tourists dead after Great Barrier Reef helicopter crash
Two American tourists have died in a helicopter crash near Australia’s Whitsunday Islands.
An additional two passengers from the US were injured along with the pilot.
All three are in hospital but injuries are not thought be life-threatening.
The two fatalities are a 79-year-old man and 65-year-old woman from Hawaii.
Operator Whitsunday Air Services said the helicopter was preparing to land on a pontoon about 65 km from the Whitsundays.
The pontoon is a popular snorkeling spot at Hardy Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef area and has underwater viewing points to see the coral.
"We are extremely saddened by this incident and our deepest condolences are with the families of all of the passengers," Whitsunday Air Services said, adding that it has suspended all flights for the time being.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau team of inspectors is at the scene and will lead an investigation.
"It was a normal flight. On this occasion something went wrong and the consequences are tragic. You couldn’t begin to imagine the impact on those people," said police district inspector Ian Haughton.
"Investigators will interview witnesses, examine any available recorded data, review operational records and technical documentation amongst other activities," an ATSB statement said.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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