Kaikōura helicopter crash – Andrew and Lin Davidson’s shocked friends reunite at the Ohoka family home

Devastated friends of the couple who died in yesterday’s terror helicopter crash in Kaikōura have gathered at their family home.

Pilot Andrew Hamish Davidson and his wife Lin were killed when their new helicopter crashed on a stony beach 30 km north of Kaikōura at approximately 12:40 pm yesterday, while on a family trip.

Two of her children were injured, along with a third child.

Locals who witnessed the machine fall from the sky rushed to lift the wounded from the rubble.

The parents died at the scene.

The Transportation Accident Investigation Commission has launched an investigation.

Davidson had just acquired ownership of the Eurocopter EC120B machine in October.

The businessman from Ohoka, north of Canterbury, had set up the helicopter rental company Glenloch Helicopters Ltd a month earlier.

The couple’s friends met this morning at their Ohoka lifestyle block, north of Christchurch, where they also operated a B&B.

Lin’s elderly parents are understood to be on the property, but speak little English.

The large lifestyle block features an aircraft hanger and wind socks.

Upset friends have been shaken by the double tragedy and today they say they are waiting for information.

TAIC researchers have arrived at the scene.

They are getting ready to hit the beach and will hold a media briefing at 1pm.

Ngai Tahu is expected to bless the site at 2 p.m.

Investigators will review the wreckage as they work to understand the circumstances that led to the accident.

One of the couple’s children is understood to attend Christchurch private children’s school, Medbury.

“The Medbury community is deeply saddened to learn of the helicopter crash north of Kaikōura that was previously reported,” said Director Ian Macpherson.

“The police have not officially contacted the school regarding this tragedy. However, we are actively monitoring the information as it arrives.”

Given that the investigation is in its early stages, Macpherson said it was inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

“Our thoughts are with the family at this time,” he added.

“We would like to thank the first responders, along with members of the emergency services, for their courageous work at the accident site.”

Harald Hendel, TAIC’s chief accident investigator, said there may be people who saw what happened, given the location of the accident next to a busy cafe on State Highway 1.

He called for witnesses, “especially anyone who captured the accident on their vehicle’s dash cam or other recording devices, to contact TAIC as soon as possible.”

They have established a perimeter around the remains that prohibits public access, to protect the evidence.

“Your initial work will include inspecting the wreckage, mapping the site, and speaking with witnesses. Gathering additional evidence in the coming weeks and months will likely include examining the helicopter’s components, looking for any logged data from the helicopter’s electronics, and obtaining maintenance records. “.

New Zealand Fire and Emergency Operational Insurance (Fenz) team member Darryl Papesch was one of the first responders on the scene and said that locals had pulled everyone out of the wreck when he arrived.

He confirmed that the three survivors were children, who were flown to Wellington Hospital for treatment.

“We had conversations with them, not a proper conversation, but they knew their names and how old they were,” Papesch said.

“The premises were outstanding, in a chaotic situation they were outstanding.

“The three agencies, Fenz, the police, St John, worked together and just got down to business.”

Ian Mehrtens spent his 69th birthday pulling dead and injured people from the wreckage across the road from his home in Kekerengu, and there is a picture that will stay with him forever.

“The little doll … the little girl who was injured, her doll was in the surf and I picked it up,” Mehrtens said.

“I took the girl to the beach to where her mom was laying. I was wondering ‘where is my mom … is my mom okay?’ and I said ‘yeah she’s fine’, but she was far from it. “

Mehrtens and other locals rushed to the scene and began pulling the victims out, terrified that the smoldering remains would catch fire at any moment.

He said the pilot was obviously dead and an adult female “didn’t look good.”

Three children were injured and rescued, including a boy and a teenage girl with broken legs.

Mehrtens and his wife Lyn own a beachfront shelter where the accident occurred, opposite Kekerengu tent and camp, 30 km north of Kaikoura.

They were standing in the kitchen with a friend watching the helicopter land when suddenly something went terribly wrong.

“I was coming ashore and I thought I was putting on a display for the passengers, showing them how the helicopter worked,” Mehrtens said.

“It started spinning … then it just disappeared … clunk … bang. I thought, ‘Shit, oh my gosh’ – it just collapsed and I thought, ‘Crikey, they’re going to need a little help.”

He got on his quad bike and headed to the beach, where he met his neighbor and partner, who asked not to be identified in this story, on his tractor.

The helicopter had sunk into the water, so the men, assisted by locals, campers and tourists, tied a rope to the tail and dragged it from the waves to the beach.

Then they started frantically pulling people out.

Finally, they recovered the pilot, left him on the beach and covered his face with a blanket, placing stones around him so that the coastal wind would not carry him away.

“I didn’t want to see that,” Mehrtens said.

“Poor bastard … something must have really gone wrong.”

He said the helicopter crumpled “like tissue” and his wife described it as “like aluminum foil.”

“Suddenly the course was altered … there was a big crack and I thought maybe it landed on their runners and they were upset, but no,” Mehrtens recalled.

“[The kids] they screamed in pain … The older girl was not good.

“There were six of us trying to get them out, the worst part was trying to get them out of their seat belts.”