Sea World helicopter crash inquest to resume after surprise witness comes forward

An inquest into one of Australia’s worst air disasters this century is set to resume following claims of pilot drug-taking.

Fresh evidence will be heard from Monday by Queensland coroner Carol Lee, more than three years after the Sea World helicopter tragedy.

Pilot Ashley Jenkinson was among four people killed when two joy flight helicopters collided outside the Gold Coast theme park on January 2, 2023.

Mr Jenkinson, 40, later tested positive for cocaine at his autopsy, with the inquest told the pilot had been seen inhaling multiple lines of the drug at a New Year’s Eve party before the crash.

However, an expert panel was unable to conclusively tell Queensland coroner Carol Lee how much his flying ability would have been affected during three weeks of testimony heard at the inquest late last year.

The inquest’s hearings had been due to resume in early February, largely to hear testimony from Sea World Helicopters executives.

However in January, Ms Lee heard new witness Joshua Williams had come forward about “the use of illicit substances by pilots”.

Mr Williams was a former pilot employed by Professional Helicopter Services between 2022 and 2023.

Professional Helicopter Services employed Mr Jenkinson before he was appointed Sea World Helicopters’ chief pilot, a company that ran the joy flights on behalf of the theme park.

Ms Lee found in favour of calling Mr Williams, adjourning the hearings until Monday, which are set to run for two weeks.

Mr Jenkinson and his passengers - British newlyweds Ronald and Diane Hughes, aged 65 and 67, and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros, 36 - died after their helicopter struck another during take-off and fell 40 metres onto a sandbar.

The pilot of the second chopper, Michael James, managed to land his aircraft safely, but he and two of his passengers were injured by flying glass when its windshield shattered.