A helicopter test flight ended in chaos when the aircraft tumbled off a tuna fishing boat and crashed onto a dock, leaving onlookers stunned and prompting a swift rescue response.
The incident occurred at the Port of Posorja in western Ecuador on November 19, as the pilot attempted to lift the helicopter from the vessel’s helipad.
Dramatic footage captured the harrowing moment when the chopper, already unsteady, tilted precariously before toppling off the edge of the upper deck.
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As the aircraft descended, the spinning rotor blades visibly struck the helicopter’s tail, severing it before the entire structure hit the dock below.
The crash left the cabin, tail, and sections of the propellers severely damaged.
Another video from the scene showed rescue workers surrounding the wreckage as they assessed the situation.
Emergency services responded quickly, with an ambulance dispatched to provide treatment for the pilot, who sustained unspecified injuries.
It remains unclear whether the pilot required further hospitalization.
Local reactions to the crash were swift, with speculation mounting about what might have caused the disaster.
“It seems like a bad manoeuvre by the pilot,” one witness suggested.
Others, like Ricardo, remarked on the apparent lack of power during take-off, while Andres commented that the mishap might have stemmed from the pilot’s inexperience with such operations.
An investigation is now underway to determine what led to the failed flight.
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SOURCE: Helicopter plunges off boat and smashes onto dock during bungled take-off
