A helicopter pilot has been killed after it crashed into a hotel roof in the Australian city of Cairns. According to the company that chartered the helicopter, it was an “unauthorized” flight. The charter company says it cannot share more information due to the ongoing investigation into the incident.

Local authorities said the pilot was the only passenger on the helicopter. No one on the ground died. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the hotel immediately after the accident. Eyewitnesses told Australian media that the helicopter had been flying at high speed towards the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Cairns shortly before the accident occurred at midnight (Australian time).

Veronica Knight, for example, said she saw the helicopter flying “very fast.” 7news“Then I thought, ‘This doesn’t look good. It was flying really low. I tried to film it, but it went really fast.’” Knight then watched the helicopter disappear, only to suddenly return about five to 10 minutes later. “Then it flew over the water and suddenly shot to the right.” That was followed by the crash into the roof of the hotel.

One of the plane’s rotor blades ended up in the hotel’s swimming pool. An elderly couple living in an upstairs suite were taken to hospital with injuries.

Located in north-eastern Australia, Cairns is a popular tourist destination. From the city, tourists travel to the Great Barrier Reef, among other places.

Photos of the flames that can be seen after the incident were shared on X, among others: