A helicopter pilot has died after his plane crashed into a luxury Cairns hotel, injuring two guests and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate the burning building.
Emergency services were called to the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton in the far north Queensland town at 1.50am on Monday.
Queensland Ambulance confirmed a helicopter “crashed into the roof of a hotel” and between 300 and 400 people were evacuated from the facility.
The pilot, a man in his 40s, died while two people who were in one of the rooms were taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
The helicopter is believed to have been part of the fleet of Nautilus Aviation, one of Australia’s leading helicopter operators.
Sources said the helicopter may have been “stolen” as none of the accredited pilots working for Nautilus Aviation were flying the aircraft.
“All pilots have been accounted for,” the source told Daily Mail Australia.
Nautilus Aviation told the Courier Mail it was an “unauthorised” flight.
The helicopter crashed into the roof of the Hilton Double Tree hotel in Cairns, causing a massive fire (pictured)
Between 300 and 400 people were evacuated from the hotel. Others stayed in a nearby park and watched in disbelief as the fire tore through the building.
Veronica, who witnessed the accident, told 2GB that they saw the plane crash “with all its force” into the building.
“The next thing I knew I saw it flying towards the hotel building and I saw the big explosion… it hit the building,” he said.
Terrifying footage captured by a tourist showed the roof engulfed in huge red and orange flames.
Huge clouds of black smoke rose from the top of the hotel as the fire raged on.
“The whole building is on fire,” a woman was heard saying as flames could be seen inside the hotel’s lower floor.
“Did you see it? The helicopter… it’s crazy. I was walking by there… I saw it go down,” he continued.
Passersby were also in a nearby park and saw the flames burning at the hotel.
An 83-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after being assessed by paramedics.
Queensland Police declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) and enacted an exclusion zone covering Esplanade, Minnie Street, Aplin Street and Grafton Street.
Caitlin Dennings, senior operations supervisor for the Queensland Ambulance Service’s Far North region, said residents described hearing a loud bang that sounded like a bomb.
Queensland Police declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) and an exclusion zone was enacted covering Esplanade, Minnie Street, Aplin Street and Grafton Street (pictured, a damaged room at the hotel).
Wreckage of the helicopter that crashed into the luxury hotel early Monday morning
“Unfortunately, it’s quite scary to hear. I guess it was the sound of the helicopter crashing before 2am,” he said.
“There are reports that it sounded like a bomb and that fire and smoke were seen coming from there. Many of the hotel occupants were not very sure of the situation at the time.
“There is a lot of concern here at the evacuation centre, which is a hotel built there.”
Hotel guest Alastair Salmon told the ABC the sound of the crash was deafening, while his roommate Harry Holberton said debris was strewn around the area.
“There was debris all over the hotel, pieces of a windshield,” he said.
Ms Dennings added that paramedics had to wait for firefighters to assess the building before they could enter the hotel and see the helicopter.
“The helicopter impacted the roof of the hotel but two propellers broke off from the helicopter which landed on the Cairns esplanade,” he said.
‘There was a second propeller located in the hotel pool, on the lower floor.
‘At the time of the incident (hotel guests) were evacuated to Florence Street where buses picked them up and took them to a hotel in Cairns City where they were all evacuated to the lobby.’
Police are on the scene and have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has also launched an investigation.
The helicopter hit the roof of the hotel and two of its propellers were torn off on impact.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
An exclusion zone was declared covering Esplanade, Minnie Street, Aplin Street and Grafton Street (pictured)