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10-year-old Sea World helicopter crash survivor cops heartbreaking blow after losing mum
Featured Image Credit: Nine News.

10-year-old Sea World helicopter crash survivor cops heartbreaking blow after losing mum

He's already lost his mum, and now it looks like he's going to lose his leg.

One of the victims of Sea World's horror helicopter crash on Australia's Gold Coast looks set to lose one of his feet, not long after losing his mum in the carnage.

Nicholas Tadros, 10, was onboard the doomed chopper that plummeted into a sand bank on January 2.

He lost his mum, Vanessa Tadros, 36, in the crash.

Three others also lost their lives.

And, as well as breaking nearly everything in his little body, Nicholas has now suffered another brutal blow, learning he may need one of his feet amputated.

His devastated dad, Simon Tadros, spoke to A Current Affair about the horrific accident.

"He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, his arms, ribs, lungs collapsing," Tadros said.

"He even inhaled some of the aviation fuel that caused problems for his lungs as well, his kidneys are still not functioning, so he's on a dialysis machine."

He said Nicholas it's been a lot for the young boy who's 'grieving his mum' and the prospect of now losing his foot is heartbreaking.

The father also recalled his last moments with his wife before she was killed in the crash.

"I remember saying to my wife, I was thinking it's amazing how quick they turn over these helicopters … and my wife just turned around to me and said, 'babe, I'm sure they know what they're doing'," he told Nine.

Initial reports of the January crash stated that the collision unfolded after one of the aircraft operated by Sea World Helicopter Tours attempted to land while another went to depart from the Gold Coast location.

Gary Worrell, Queensland state police acting inspector, said: "Members of the public and police tried to remove the people and they commenced first aid and tried to get those people to safety from an airframe that was upside down.

"(People on) Jet Skis, family boaters, ordinary members of the public rushed to assist these people."

Footage captured just moments before the collision has since emerged, with one of the vehicles departing from its landing pad.

9News, which shared the clip online, said it would 'not show the moment of impact'. An onlooker can be heard asking in the background: "Is it going to crash?"

A witness of the incident named John spoke to radio station 3AW about the shocking events, saying: "There was a massive, massive bang... It was just huge."

Right now is a busy time of year for the theme park and the helicopter tour agency, as summer officially lasts from 1 December to 28 February in Australia.

An investigation into the fatal mid-air crash is now underway, as confirmed by Angus Mitchell, chief commissioner at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

He said: "Transport safety investigators with experience in helicopter operations, maintenance and survivability engineering are deploying from the ATSB’s Brisbane and Canberra offices."


Topics: Australia, News