The husband of Vanessa Tadros, who was killed in a helicopter crash on the Gold Coast on Monday, has asked for people to pray for their 10-year-old child as he is “fighting for his life”.
In a Facebook post Simon Tadros told customers of Vanessa’s event planning business that his wife and their son, Nicholas, were among the victims of the crash.
“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have to inform everyone of the passing of my beautiful wife and mother to my son, Vanessa,” he said.
“Vanessa was one of the victims in the Sea World helicopter crash that happened on the Gold Coast a couple of days ago. While my son is fighting for life in the ICU [at a] Gold Coast hospital.”
Tadros asked for prayers for his son in a separate comment on Facebook.
“I do ask that if everyone can please say a prayer for Nicky, so he can wake up and make a good recovery,” he said. “He is in an induced coma on a life support machine to help him breath[e]. He is in a very serious and critical state. I’m asking for all your prayers to bring my little man back to me.”
Vanessa Tadros, 36, was with Nicholas when two Sea World helicopters crashed into one another on Monday afternoon.
A friend of the family, Rochelle Fajloun, has launched a fundraiser to assist with funeral and medical costs. As of noon Wednesday, it had raised almost $10,000.
Fajloun said Tadros had witnessed the “accident unfold and is totally shattered”.
“Vanessa was a truly remarkable woman … she was one of the most humble, kindest, sweetest and generous human beings I have ever known,” Fajloun said.
“Her energy was infectious and her smile contagious. Everyone she met, she touched.
“We pray, hope and believe that God will spare young Nicholas to live and carry on his mum’s legacy.”
Three other people who were on the same helicopter died in the crash, including the pilot, Ashley Jenkinson, and a British couple Ron, and Diane Hughes.
Survivors Winnie de Silva, 33, and her nine-year-old son remain in hospital.
The other helicopter landed on the Broadwater sandbank with six people on board, including the 52-year-old pilot, a 27-year-old woman from Western Australia, and two families from New Zealand.
One person on board was uninjured, with the rest sustaining minor injuries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash, and in particular what was happening inside the two cockpits at the point of impact.
On Tuesday the ATSB’s chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, said Jenkinson’s aircraft had taken off and was in the air for less than 20 seconds before its main rotor blades hit the cockpit of the second helicopter, which was coming in to land.
“Now, exactly whether that was the very first point of impact we’re yet to determine,” he said.
“But that in itself has led to the main rotor and the gearbox separating from the main [Jenkinson’s] helicopter, which then had no lift, and has fallen heavily to the ground.”
– with AAP
