Sea World helicopters crash: Families launch legal action

Village Roadshow Theme Parks, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Gold Coast City Council and Jetpoint Pty Ltd are among the participants in the case.

Ehrich told reporters outside court that the applications filed on behalf of the families were preventive measures against possible future legal action. Under Queensland law, there is a three-year limitation from the date of injury.

“Obviously the investigation has been postponed until February, so we won’t be able to conclude this for a while,” he said.

“We have taken steps to initiate proceedings in order to protect our client’s interests. There are impending statute of limitations dates, so given the court closures, we have taken the pre-emptive step of filing these applications.”

Ehrich said the families were disappointed that the investigation was postponed until next year, but there was understanding about the process.

“There’s a lot of information that needs to come out. There’s a lot of evidence, there’s a lot of witnesses, and I think my clients’ view is that we want this to be done properly, which requires all parties to have the appropriate chance to respond,” he said.

The investigation is investigating how the accident occurred by focusing on the radio communication between the two helicopters. The court heard that due to faults with Jenkinson’s radio, a taxi call from him was probably not transmitted before the crash.

Jenkinson’s partner, Kosha Richardson-Johnson, initiated a separate lawsuit against Sea World Helicopters earlier this year. The family and the company agreed last month to settle the addiction claim without litigation.