Expert Calls For Answers Following Incident

An aviation law expert has called on authorities to work quickly to discover the cause behind a helicopter crash which is thought to have claimed the lives of a team of journalists.

Paul Lockyer, John Bean and Gary Ticehurst, who work for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, are feared to be dead after the AS.355F2 helicopter came down in the Lake Eyre region on Thursday evening (August 18th).

Three bodies have been found at the site but they are yet have to been identified, while the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has commenced an investigation in order to collect background detail regarding the incident.

Jim Morris, a Partner and former RAF pilot at Irwin Mitchell, specialises in acting for victims and families affected by air accidents around the world, including Australia and New Zealand.

Commenting on the helicopter crash, he said: “It is clear that answers as to how this incident came to occur are needed and we hope that the authorities are able to achieve this quickly.

“Particularly important issues which need to be addressed include the weather conditions at the time of the incident, as well as if any mechanical or technical failure may have played some part in leading to this terrible crash.  This type of helicopter is used around the world, so if there was any form of mechanical problem it is vitally important that operators are made aware to that the fleet can be checked.

“The fundamental priority is that the causes of this tragedy are identified so that flight safety can be improved to prevent a similar accident happening again.

Our thoughts are with the families of the ABC crew.”