A helicopter has crashed just minutes after taking off with one person rushed to hospital.
Photographs from the scene show the mangled wreck of the aircraft. The helicopter, carrying two people, crashed at Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne about 2.30pm local time (5.30am BST). Firefighters said the helicopter crashed next to a runway and began leaking fuel, leading them to quickly douse the wreckage with foam to prevent it from setting fire. One of the rotor blades of the aircraft appeared to be crumpled in aftermath, and the tail section broken off. A statement from Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said: “Unable to stop the leak, FRV crews laid a blanket of firefighting foam over the spilt fuel and aircraft and isolated power sources to the helicopter to ensure the fuel did not ignite.”
The pilot and passenger were treated by ambulance crews for minor injuries, with one person taken to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.
Victoria Police confirmed that no-one had been killed in the crash.
A statement from the force said: “Emergency services were called to an airport in Moorabbin about 2.30pm on 17 April after reports of a helicopter crash.
“Two people were on the craft at the time and one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Work Safe and ATSB will be notified of the incident.”
Flight Radar 24 data showed that the helicopter had only taken off a few minutes earlier.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it had been informed of a crash involving an R44 helicopter during training operations at Moorabbin Airport and would be deciding whether to launch an investigation.
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