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An off-duty nurse who desperately wanted to help the victims of the fatal Sea World helicopter crash that killed four people could only watch in horror.
The two helicopters collided in mid-air on Monday at Main Beach on the Gold Coast in front of hundreds of shocked tourists.
Local nurse Cecilia Marchisella was on the beach with her son during the accident around 2pm on Monday.
Queensland nurse Cecilia Marchisella was on the beach with her son when the helicopter crash happened around 2pm Monday and said she “just wanted to help but couldn’t.”
Four people were killed when two helicopters collided in midair on January 2 near Sea World Drive in Main Beach as hundreds of tourists waited helplessly.
Ash Jenkins (pictured with his wife) was the pilot of the helicopter that crashed, killing him and three other passengers.
Marchisella said she felt “compelled” to pay tribute to the victims after seeing a Facebook post about the memorial site on Tuesday.
She was the first person to bring an offering to the Broadwater Parklands floral tribute site, placing a bouquet of sunflowers, accompanied by her son and mother.
“I really feel sorry for those people and their families,” he told the Gold Coast Newsletter .
Ms. Marchisella said that witnessing the event affected her more than she expected.
“Being a nurse, I felt that if I could have gotten there, I could have helped in some way,” she said.
‘I think that’s what hit me really hard. I feel like I just wanted to help, but I couldn’t.’
One of the two helicopters crashed, killing the pilot, two British tourists and another woman from New South Wales, at the scene. A 10-year-old boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
British couple Ron and Diane Hughes were killed when the two helicopters collided, forcing one to crash to the ground.
The collision caused one of the planes to crash into a sandbar, killing pilot Ash Jenkinson, who grew up in the UK’s West Midlands before moving to Australia.
British couple Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, Sydney’s mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, were also killed and three others seriously injured.
The second helicopter managed to land successfully on a sandbar at Broadwater with only minor injuries to all six on board.
Gold Coast council said the “tragedy at Broadwater has understandably resulted in a wave of grief in our community.”
The council encouraged anyone wishing to place floral tributes to do so in a designated area in Broadwater Parklands, just south of Southport Pier near the Great Lawn.
Initial investigations indicated the crash occurred as a helicopter was landing and another was taking off near Sea World Drive in Main Beach.
A dedicated memorial site in Broadwater Parklands, just south of Southport Pier (pictured), has been allocated for members of the public who wish to pay tribute to the victims of the accident.
New South Wales mother Vanessa Tadros (pictured right) was the fourth victim killed in the tragic incident.
The crashed plane had seven occupants on board, while the second plane to land on the Broadwater shoal had six occupants, including the pilot.
The helicopters were operated by a separate company from the popular resort.
Footage from the moments before the crash shows the two helicopters converging, with terrified witnesses yelling “no!” upon realizing the fate of the aircraft.
A 10-year-old boy also from Glenmore Park suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Queensland Police said Operation Victor Sandlewood, made up of detectives from the Gold Coast Criminal Investigation Branch and Accident Forensics Unit, was assisting the Australian Transport Safety Office with investigations.
Authorities called on witnesses, especially those who had video of the crash and had not yet spoken to investigators, to come forward.
Gold Coast council said the Department for Communities and the Red Cross will be present at the Broadwater floral memorial to provide support to the public. The community recovery hotline has also been activated.
Anyone wishing to place flowers directly on the Broadwater was asked to remove all packaging.