Australia helicopter crash: New video shows passenger tried to 'warn' pilot before fatal collision

A survivor of a deadly mid-air helicopter crash in Australia had tried to warn a pilot of impending danger, a new video appears to show.

The footage - exclusively obtained by Australia's 7 News - filmed by one of the passengers during the flight, captured the moments before the rotor blade of another helicopter smashed through their windscreen.

The clip shows a passenger in the backseat of the aircraft tapping the pilot's shoulder. The pilot, Michael James, turns his head in response and the passenger then grips his seat.

The helicopter collided with another one just seconds later, killing four people onboard - including a British couple from Cheshire.

All the passengers and the pilot seen in the video clip survived.

Ron and Diane Hughes, both 65 and 57, were among the four people killed in the incident.

Experienced pilot Ashley Jenkinson, thought to be originally from Birmingham, was also killed in the crash along with a 36-year-old Australian woman.

Five of the six people on board the descending helicopter suffered minor injuries.

The crash occurred around 2pm local time (4am GMT) in Main Beach, in front of hundreds of beach-goers who had been enjoying a public holiday.

This new footage will be crucial for investigators trying to establish how the tragedy unfolded.

Investigators believe that the main rotor blade of the helicopter taking off collided with the front cockpit of the descending helicopter on the left-hand side.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau Angus Mitchell said it was "remarkable" that there were not more fatalities.

Both helicopters were operating tourist flights for Sea World, a popular theme park on the Gold Coast.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.