WATCH: Helicopter Crash Into Cairns Hotel In Australia; 400 Guests Evacuated

In the early hours of Monday morning, a tragic helicopter crash occurred when a twin-engine aircraft collided with the roof of the DoubleTree by the Hilton Hotel in Cairns.

The crash resulted in the death of the pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter, as reported by Gulf News. The aircraft, operated by North Queensland charter company Nautilus Aviation, was reportedly flown without authorization.

Helicopter Crash Into Cairns Hotel | Watch

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at approximately 1:50 am and promptly evacuated between 300 and 400 guests from the hotel located on Cairns' Esplanade. According to Queensland ambulance reports, two of the helicopter's propellers fell onto the street and into the hotel pool.

Probe Into Helicopter Crash

Queensland Police confirmed that the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. Forensic teams are working to identify the pilot, and Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes stated that the investigation will focus on the helicopter's activities leading up to the crash. The helicopter had only been in the air for a short period before the accident, Holmes noted.

Nautilus Aviation issued a statement expressing its cooperation with Queensland Police, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), and other authorities to investigate the unauthorized use of its helicopter. Holmes mentioned that the helicopter had taken off from Cairns airport's general aviation area. "We are working with a local aviation operator to understand the circumstances that led to the helicopter becoming airborne," he said. "It's just by luck that more people weren't injured."

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell highlighted that the investigation would determine whether the crash was a matter of transport safety or regulatory and policy review. Mitchell remarked that operating a helicopter without proper training or experience would be exceptionally challenging, as reported by Firstpost.

The crash ignited a fire on the hotel's roof, but fortunately, no injuries were reported among those on the ground. However, two hotel guests, an elderly man and a woman, were taken to Cairns Hospital in stable condition. Witnesses described a chaotic scene.

Jill Ball and her husband Robert, who were staying at the hotel, recalled being awakened by a loud noise and seeing flames from their room. Jill praised a tour bus driver who assisted with the evacuation, calling him a "hero" for his efforts in guiding guests to safety.

Social media footage captured the flames on the hotel roof, with some observers commenting on the speed and severity of the helicopter's impact. The Queensland ambulance's senior operations supervisor in Cairns, Caitlin Denning, reported that many hotel occupants were panicked and confused by the situation, describing the noise as sounding like a bomb.

An exclusion zone has been established around the crash site by Queensland police, who are advising the public to avoid the area as investigations continue.