Brave boy who lost mum, leg attends chopper crash probe
Rex Martinich
A child who tragically lost his mother and leg in a helicopter crash bravely joined the investigation into the horrific air disaster.
Nicholas Tadros was just 10 years old when he boarded a five-minute helicopter fun flight around the Gold Coast’s Sea World with his mother on January 2, 2023.
Instead, their trip ended abruptly 25 seconds after takeoff when their plane crashed into another Sea World helicopter preparing to land near the theme park.
His mother, Vanessa Tadros, 36, was among four people killed in what is considered one of Australia’s worst weather disasters.
Nine people were also injured, including Nicholas, who was in critical condition before his leg was amputated.
Almost three years later, Nicholas turned up at the Coroner’s Court in Brisbane to attend the inquest into the tragedy for the first time.
Nicholas’s father, Simon, has been there every day since the inquest began last week, but on Monday he also accompanied his son, who now uses a prosthetic limb.
However, upon his arrival, Nicholas learned that the testimony of key witnesses would be postponed.
Sea World Helicopters chief executive Brett Newman and director John Orr-Campbell were due to give evidence on Monday about the crash, which also killed 40-year-old pilot Ashley Jenkinson and British newlyweds Ronald and Diane Hughes, 65 and 67.
Instead, the company’s attorney, Michael Trim, asked for the two executives to testify in February 2026 after receiving nearly 5,000 pages of new material since the investigation began.
The application also suggested several experts from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority would not give evidence until next year.
“Among the matters examined are the adequacy and appropriateness of my client’s operations… These matters clearly have the potential to impact their interests,” Trim said.
“They must have a fair and appropriate opportunity to consider the evidence.”
The solicitor assisting Ian Harvey opposed the application because much of the material material had been available for months.
“There is no submission at this stage of any potential adverse finding regarding any of Sea World Helicopters’ witnesses,” he said.
Parties faced with a potential adverse finding can respond at a later date, Harvey said.
Tadros family lawyer Gerard Mullins did not oppose the application.
Coroner Carol Lee rejected the application on the grounds that it was “not necessary”, costly for taxpayers and upsetting to crash victims and their families.
“Sea World Helicopters has six months to provide expert evidence, if it wishes, in response to criticism in the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report,” Lee said.
Lee had heard from at least one witness who had flown in from England and would have to return home by Friday.
“The families of the four deceased have been patiently awaiting these proceedings… they have a legitimate expectation that these proceedings will conclude as planned,” Lee said.
Sea World Helicopters executives will now testify next week in the final days of the investigation.
Sea World Helicopters has signed a 10-year deal to operate Sea World’s pleasure flights after taking over the Gold Coast attraction’s helipad from Village Roadshow Theme Parks in 2019.
AAP
