UK couple on holiday killed in mid-air helicopter crash

A British couple was among the four people who were killed in a mid-air helicopter crash in Australia.

The couple has been identified as Diane, 57, and Ron Hughes, 65, from Liverpool. The tragic accident took place when their helicopter collided with another helicopter near Gold Coast's Sea World on Monday.

One of the helicopters was taking off and the other was trying to land when the two of them collided, leaving four people dead. The couple was on the helicopter carrying seven people, while the other helicopter was carrying six people.

The four people who were killed in the crash were travelling in the same helicopter, including the 40-year-old pilot and a 36-year-old woman from New South Wales. Two boys, ages 10 and 9, and a 33-year-old woman are in critical condition.

The other helicopter managed to land safely, but five people onboard sustained minor injuries and are undergoing treatment at a hospital. According to the Queensland Police Service, the area where the crash happened was on a sand bank, which made access to the accident scene difficult.

Sea World Helicopters, an independent company from the Sea World resort, has promised to cooperate with the local authorities handling the investigation, per a report in The Independent.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed condolences and said: "My deepest sympathies are with each of the families and everyone affected by this terrible accident."

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, said that the officers are gathering CCTV footage from a nearby building to try and find out what led to it.

"What we need to know now is what was occurring inside them two cockpits at the time. We know the take-off and landing are critical phases of any flight where the cognitive workload of pilots are at their greatest," he said.

A UK government spokesperson said in a statement that they are in contact with the local authorities and are providing all kinds of support to the couple's family.