By Mackenzie Colahan, Tom Forbes, and Kirsten Webster, ABC News
Four people died when two helicopters collided in mid-air on the Gold Coast in January 2023. Photo: AFP/ handout / ABC
The pilot who successfully crash-landed his damaged helicopter during a mid-air collision at Sea World, saving the lives of all four passengers on board, has died of cancer, it has been revealed.
Michael James, who died late last month, was hailed a hero after bringing down his aircraft on a sand bank following a mid-air collision with his Sea World Helicopters colleague Ash Jenkinson during a joy flight on the Gold Coast in January 2023.
The 53-year-old and his passengers, New Zealand tourists Edward and Marle Swart and Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg, survived the crash with relatively minor injuries.
Jenkinson and three of his passengers - Sydney woman Vanessa Tadros and UK couple Diane and Ron Hughes - were killed instantly.
Three other tourists on board the aircraft - Geelong woman Winnie De Silva, 33, and her son, Leon, 9, along with Tadros's son Nicholas, 10 - were badly injured.
Shortly after the crash, James' passengers released a statement calling him their hero.
"To our pilot, who, through all the chaos, landed the helicopter safely, keeping us and other bystanders safe," they said.
"You are our hero. Thank you so very much."
Elmarie and Riaan Steenberg and Edward and Marle Swart were on holiday in Queensland when they were involved in the deadly crash. Photo: Supplied
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the crash.
The ATSB's preliminary report into the deadly collision found James, who was coming in to land, did not hear a call over the radio by the pilot taking off.
James never spoke publicly about the incident.
Pilot, lawyer and former Qantas safety boss Ron Bartsch, who knew James and who has consulted with the ATSB during its investigation, labelled the crash landing an "incredible feat of piloting" and said he was sad to learn of James' death.
"It was very, very sad, particularly in light of the heroic actions he took," Bartsch said.
"He was a very unassuming person, he was incredibly capable and well-respected by his peers.
"By any measure, the fact that aircraft was able to be flown was a miracle."
The survivors called their pilot a "hero". Photo: Supplied
Aviation expert Neil Hansford said it was a shame James never got to fly again after the accident, and said the fact more lives were not lost that day was a testament to his professionalism as a pilot.
"People are alive who potentially might have passed away had he not shown his skill and his training," Hansford said.
"In a very, very damaged aircraft he stuck to the job and didn't panic.
"He had his own life to save but he also had the lives of those that were with him. Very few of us, when faced with that sort of position, can keep our head together."
The ATSB said it expected to conclude its investigation and hand down a report later this year.
- ABC.
