A pilot who was not authorized to fly a helicopter in Australia was killed after crashing into a luxury hotel in Cairns, a statement from the charter company said.
The twin-engine helicopter crashed early Monday into a building near the Cairns Esplanade, a waterfront boardwalk in Cairns, and guests and staff at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel were evacuated as precaution, Queensland police said.
Cairns is located in northern Queensland, Australia, and is nearby the Great Barrier Reef.
The helicopter then burst into flames, CNN reported, spilling fuel across the top of the hotel and damaging some windows of the seven-story building.
No one on the ground was injured, police said. Two people sleeping on the top floor of the hotel were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries, CNN reported.
The pilot was the aircraft’s only occupant, police said, was declared dead at the scene. A forensic investigation is underway to formally identify the pilot.
Queensland police are continuing to investigate the incident.
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Pilot killed in helicopter crash had never flown in Australia
Nautilus Aviation said in a statement to USA TODAY that the pilot had been with the company in a ground crew position for four months and had attended a party with other staff members to celebrate a promotion the night before.
“This was not a work event and was coordinated by friends,” the statement said.
The company added that the pilot was licensed to fly helicopters in New Zealand, but had never flown in for the company in Australia and were “not authorized to fly Nautilus Aviation helicopters,” the statement said.
Nautilus Aviation operates luxury helicopters that can be booked for flights, private charters, emergency response, and more.
The company said it has completed interviews with police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and will continue to work with those agencies during the course of the investigation.
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