Helicopter pilot snorted cocaine days earlier than crash that killed Brit couple
Diane and Ron Hughes, from Neston, Wirral, were killed when two helicopters collided mid-air on Australia’s Gold Coast on January 2, 2023, as they visited relatives
A pilot involved in a fatal helicopter crash that killed a British couple was likely suffering from cocaine withdrawal and a hangover, an inquest heard. Diane, 57, and her husband Ron Hughes, 65, from Neston, Wirral, died when two helicopters collided mid-air on Australia’s Gold Coast on January 2, 2023.
The couple, who had been married for just 18 months, were visiting relatives in Australia for New Year when tragedy struck near Sea World in Queensland. The collision happened around 2pm local time as one helicopter was ascending while the other was descending.
One of the helicopters managed to safely land on a sandbank, with five of its six passengers suffering only minor injuries. However, the second helicopter crashed, leading to the deaths of four individuals on board and leaving three others critically injured.
Among those who tragically lost their lives were Sydney mum, Vanessa Tadros, 36, and Sea World pilot, Ashley Jenkinson.
The inquest into the accident is currently taking place in Brisbane. A panel of experts, including Dr Dimitri Gerostamoulos, a toxicologist who previously testified at the trial of ‘mushroom murderer’ Erin Patterson, discussed the probable effects of the pilot’s condition at the time of the crash, according to the Liverpool Echo
Coroner Carol Lee was informed that Mr Jenkinson had returned a positive result for cocaine during his post-mortem examination, though an inquiry conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau concluded he was “unlikely to have been directly affected by the drug at the time of the accident”.
The pilot had been witnessed snorting several lines of cocaine and downing 12 beers plus whiskey at a New Year’s Eve party two days prior to the fatal crash.
Victoria’s chief forensic toxicologist, Dimitri Gerostamoulos said that Mr Jenkinson showed lower concentrations of cocaine metabolites than most people involved in vehicle accidents.
He said: “I can’t come to the conclusion that he was impaired or not. It is likely given the consumption of alcohol and cocaine within that period,”.
On the morning of the tragedy, Mr Jenkinson registered a negative reading for alcohol before starting his shift and had also successfully cleared a random drug test in August 2022.
Ms Lee was told that Mr Jenkinson had undertaken six passenger joy flights and enjoyed lunch with work mates before his final and devastating take-off shortly before 2pm.
Queensland Health senior forensic physician Katherine Robinson testified that the lack of obvious intoxication signs at that time wasn’t necessarily reassuring. She explained: “The subtle and fine signs of impairment are only detected through assessment by people looking to test for them.”
The inquest heard that Mr Jenkinson had signed a form declaring he was fit to fly, though he may not have realised the extent of his own impairment.
Australian Army aviation medical officer Jeffrey Brock revealed that witness statements regarding Mr Jenkinson’s drug use, sleep deprivation and workplace stress had altered his assessment.
“To me, the likelihood of impairment during flying on the day of the accident has gone from possibility to probability,” Dr Brock stated.
However, forensic pharmacologist Judith Perl gave evidence indicating that serious impairment of Mr Jenkinson’s piloting capabilities before the crash was possible rather than probable.
“It would lead me to suspect whatever cocaine he used was pretty poor quality,” Dr Perl testified.
Mr Jenkinson’s helicopter crashed into another Sea World aircraft just 25 seconds after take-off, as the second helicopter was trying to land at the theme park’s waterside helipad.
Village Roadshow Theme Parks, which operates Sea World, had handed over its scenic flight operations to Sea World Helicopters in 2019.
Senior bosses from Sea World Helicopters are expected to give evidence at the inquest next week.
