Three people are feared dead and up to 13 injured after two helicopters collided near the Sea World theme park as horrified holidaymakers watched on.
Debris showered down over the Broadwater on the Gold Coast before the crippled aircraft spiralled into a sandbank about 2pm local time on Monday.
Emergency services rushed to the wreckage hoping to find survivors, but grave fears are held for some of those on board.
Queensland Ambulance said 13 patients were being assessed at the scene.
Three people are feared dead after two helicopters collided in mid-air near the Sea World on the Gold Coast theme park as horrified holidaymakers watched on
Queensland Police and Queensland Ambulance confirmed multiple units were sent to the ‘aviation incident’ but had no more information.
Volunteer Marine Rescue Southport Duty captain Matt Fitzpatrick said three units were dispatched to the scene.
‘There are multiple helicopters involved and we do not know the state of those who were aboard,’ he said.
Emergency services rushed to the wreckage hoping to find survivors, but grave fears are held for all those on board – believed to be three in total
Witnesses expressed their shock at the mid-air collision – the last thing they expected to see on the last day of the end-of-year holidays.
‘I heard a bang and saw smoke billowing from one of the choppers. ‘It was smoking and wobbling to the ground,’ one witness told Daily Mail Australia.
‘One person was asking whether it was part of the SeaWorld show.’
A distraught woman and child were seen at the helipad while part of the theme park was shut down so patrons couldn’t look out at the crash site.
Others said watching the accident unfold was ‘beyond horrible’.
‘My daughter saw them. People on both. Landed on the sand not in SeaWorld thank goodness. Just praying for all,’ one said.
‘We heard a loud noise and saw bits of debris flying,’ another wrote online.
More to come.