Father reveals what he told his wife and son just before the tragic Sea World helicopter crash
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It’s a situation no one ever wants to experience. On January 2, a tragic helicopter crash claimed the lives of four people and seriously injured three more.
A family member of two of the passengers sat down with Ally Langdon for an interview on a recent A Current Affair episode and opened up about the accident that claimed the life of his wife and left his son in a coma.
Simon Tadros revealed the last moment he shared with his wife Vanessa, 36, and son Nicholas, 10, before they took off on the doomed joy flight at the Gold Coast right after the new year.
Mr Tadros shared that he didn’t join his family on the flight because of his fear of heights. Minutes after the flight had taken off, he heard a loud noise and saw the aircraft collide with another helicopter before plummeting onto a sandbank.
Speaking of before they boarded, he had this to say, ‘I just gave them both a hug and a kiss, and I said, “enjoy it...have fun”,’ he said.
‘I'll see you when you get back down.’
At the time of the incident, Queensland Police Service Acting Inspector Gary Worrell shared that all of those who died or were seriously injured were from the same helicopter. He also mentioned that since the aircraft landed on the sandbank outside the Sea World resort, it made it difficult for emergency crews to access the crash scene.
Police and witnesses claimed that one helicopter was landing and the other was taking off when they collided.
Aside from Vanessa, the collision also claimed the lives of British newlyweds Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, and pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40. Simon and Vanessa’s son, Nicholas, was in critical condition and fell into a coma following the crash.
Mr Tadros explained that he has come to terms with the news of his wife’s death. ‘I was terrified, I was. I lost my wife. To lose my son as well, that’s my whole life ripped apart, that’s everyone gone,’ he stated.
Thankfully, Nicholas is now in stable condition although he will lose his right foot due to injuries sustained in the crash. Mr Tadros told Ally that Nicholas was ‘keeping his spirits’ despite struggling to comprehend what had happened.
He added: ‘He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, lungs collapsing, even inhaled some of the aviation fuel, so that caused problems for his lungs as well.’
Mr Tadros continued that the only thing Nicholas ‘didn’t really break’ was his right arm.
‘How he survived is a miracle.’
Mr Tadros told the TV presenter that he hadn’t really had a chance to grieve for his wife as his focus was entirely on his son’s recovery. Nicholas continues to keep his spirits high as he heals from his injuries.
A touching funeral service was held for Vanessa Tadros at St John The Beloved Church at Mt Druitt, Sydney.
During the interview, Ally was visibly emotional as Mr Tadros shared his devastating story, especially when he recounted the moment he told his son that his mum was gone.
‘That poor little boy... still so fragile. It’s just so much for a little boy to go through,’ she said as she held a hand to her chest.
Mr Tadros is now demanding answers over how the crash happened and said that this was ‘vital’ information.
‘It’s an accident that shouldn’t have happened. They’re not working in limited spaces between four brick walls – they’ve got the whole sky,’ he explained.
He added that the situation didn’t make sense to him. ‘Why would two helicopters fly even close to each other?’ he continued.
‘That's something that I want to get answers for and I will get the answers for it in time.’
The other two survivors from the chopper crash, Winnie de Silva, 33, and her son Leon, 9, remain in hospital with extensive injuries.
According to aviation expert Neil Hansford, helicopter joy flights should never have been approved in the area where the tragedy occurred.
He explained that the approval of several chopper operations kilometres apart from one another in a populated area would not have occurred in any other city in the country.
The expert, who has more than 40 years’ worth of experience in the aviation industry, said: ‘If you have got an intense level of activity and you have got more than one operator in what is already a congested airspace…it is putting pressure on everybody.’
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Police are investigating the crash but a final verdict on what caused it isn't expected until 2024. Sea World Helicopters has suspended flights while authorities investigate the incident.
Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic collision and wish the survivors a speedy recovery. Do you have opinions you’d like to share regarding this story, members? Feel free to comment them down below.
A family member of two of the passengers sat down with Ally Langdon for an interview on a recent A Current Affair episode and opened up about the accident that claimed the life of his wife and left his son in a coma.
Simon Tadros revealed the last moment he shared with his wife Vanessa, 36, and son Nicholas, 10, before they took off on the doomed joy flight at the Gold Coast right after the new year.
Mr Tadros shared that he didn’t join his family on the flight because of his fear of heights. Minutes after the flight had taken off, he heard a loud noise and saw the aircraft collide with another helicopter before plummeting onto a sandbank.
The collision instantly claimed the lives of four people. Credit: Somchai Kongkamsri/Pexels
Speaking of before they boarded, he had this to say, ‘I just gave them both a hug and a kiss, and I said, “enjoy it...have fun”,’ he said.
‘I'll see you when you get back down.’
At the time of the incident, Queensland Police Service Acting Inspector Gary Worrell shared that all of those who died or were seriously injured were from the same helicopter. He also mentioned that since the aircraft landed on the sandbank outside the Sea World resort, it made it difficult for emergency crews to access the crash scene.
Police and witnesses claimed that one helicopter was landing and the other was taking off when they collided.
The grieving father said he witnessed the moment the aircraft collided with another helicopter in mid-air. Credit: Matheus Bertelli/Pexels
Aside from Vanessa, the collision also claimed the lives of British newlyweds Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, and pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40. Simon and Vanessa’s son, Nicholas, was in critical condition and fell into a coma following the crash.
Mr Tadros explained that he has come to terms with the news of his wife’s death. ‘I was terrified, I was. I lost my wife. To lose my son as well, that’s my whole life ripped apart, that’s everyone gone,’ he stated.
Thankfully, Nicholas is now in stable condition although he will lose his right foot due to injuries sustained in the crash. Mr Tadros told Ally that Nicholas was ‘keeping his spirits’ despite struggling to comprehend what had happened.
He added: ‘He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, lungs collapsing, even inhaled some of the aviation fuel, so that caused problems for his lungs as well.’
Mr Tadros continued that the only thing Nicholas ‘didn’t really break’ was his right arm.
‘How he survived is a miracle.’
The little boy is thankfully in stable condition. Credit: Matheus Bertelli/Pexels
Mr Tadros told the TV presenter that he hadn’t really had a chance to grieve for his wife as his focus was entirely on his son’s recovery. Nicholas continues to keep his spirits high as he heals from his injuries.
A touching funeral service was held for Vanessa Tadros at St John The Beloved Church at Mt Druitt, Sydney.
During the interview, Ally was visibly emotional as Mr Tadros shared his devastating story, especially when he recounted the moment he told his son that his mum was gone.
‘That poor little boy... still so fragile. It’s just so much for a little boy to go through,’ she said as she held a hand to her chest.
Mr Tadros is now demanding answers over how the crash happened and said that this was ‘vital’ information.
‘It’s an accident that shouldn’t have happened. They’re not working in limited spaces between four brick walls – they’ve got the whole sky,’ he explained.
He added that the situation didn’t make sense to him. ‘Why would two helicopters fly even close to each other?’ he continued.
‘That's something that I want to get answers for and I will get the answers for it in time.’
The other two survivors from the chopper crash, Winnie de Silva, 33, and her son Leon, 9, remain in hospital with extensive injuries.
According to aviation expert Neil Hansford, helicopter joy flights should never have been approved in the area where the tragedy occurred.
He explained that the approval of several chopper operations kilometres apart from one another in a populated area would not have occurred in any other city in the country.
The expert, who has more than 40 years’ worth of experience in the aviation industry, said: ‘If you have got an intense level of activity and you have got more than one operator in what is already a congested airspace…it is putting pressure on everybody.’
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Police are investigating the crash but a final verdict on what caused it isn't expected until 2024. Sea World Helicopters has suspended flights while authorities investigate the incident.
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