Helicopter crash in Canterbury: golfers first at the scene

Ronnie Ronalde, Group Operations Manager of the CPG Hotel Group, describes the “terrible” crash with the newlyweds on board. Video / George heard

Eight golfers watched as the helicopter took off from the clubhouse 200 meters away and flew towards them on the seventh hole.

It was a beautiful day, no wind to speak of.

On board were the newly married Mahdi Zougub and Fay El Hanafy, the wedding photographer Rachel Jordon and the pilot.

Little did the golfers know that the flight would be moments, travel a short distance, and that they would be the ones who would come to their aid.

“It flew over the seventh green and the eighth tee block and flew up the eighth fairway, just above the trees to the eighth fairway.

“It went over us – it was probably 50 meters to our right – flew over us and past us,” said one golfer.

The Robinson R44 helicopter sounded normal, but they noticed something strange: it didn’t seem to be gaining altitude.

“It was obviously struggling.

“It seemed to be moving forward and gradually increasing, but not at what seems normal.”

The golfer told the Herald, “We didn’t know this at the time, but he was obviously struggling to gain height because he was closest to the top of the trees, much closer than you would expect – it just wasn’t the case.” soar as you would expect. “

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They lost sight of the helicopter behind the trees as it flew up the eighth fairway and thought “nothing more about it”.

That was until the sound of the helicopter stopped.

“Instead of making the engine noise ever quieter when driving away, there was no engine noise [at all]. “

He and another golfer were on the seventh green.

“He said to me, run, and we sprinted toward the helicopter.

Fay El Hanafy and Mahdi Zougub were married on June 12 at Terrace Downs. Shortly afterwards, the helicopter in which they were taking wedding photos crashed. Photo / Givealittle

Three of his group of four ran to the helicopter.

“I had the buggy right next to me on the green – I thought jump in the buggy – just take that in case we have to try to get people [from the scene].

“I didn’t know what we were going to encounter,” he said.

The second group of four golfers farther back on the fairway also ran to the crash site.

“We all got there around the same time and two people called ambulance.”

They found the helicopter flat on its stomach, upright near a bunker on the eighth green.

The runners had broken off on the hard landing; the tail rotor was cut in half and a short distance away.

The pilot and passengers were still buckled in their seats.

“They were all shocked and in pain, but they were all conscious and all alive.

“Three of them were pretty quiet for the next few minutes. The bride got really angry, made a lot of noise, cried and wanted her mother all that stuff. “

Photographer Rachel Jordan was injured in the helicopter crash. Photo / Givealittle

The first thing the golfers did was unbuckle the group “in case we had to get them out really quick” when it burned.

Jordon, in the passenger seat and the orderly in the back, seemed determined to get out.

“They had already started moving to get out and we obviously didn’t want to hold them back or anything.”

The golfers knew they had suffered serious injuries.

“They said they had back pain.”

The groom shouted: “I have to get out, have to get out”.

He complained of sore ribs and a sore chest.

“He, I think, was the first person I helped out of the helicopter.”

An investigation into the June 12 helicopter crash is ongoing. Photo / George Heard

“He got out, we stood behind him and laid him gently on the ground next to the helicopter.”

Jordon also started making movements to get out of the helicopter and “the same thing, we gently put them next to the helicopter”.

The golfers kept them calm, reassured them, and looked after them as best they could.

Some of them wanted to call family members.

“Rachel wanted to call Eric [her husband] So I did that and talked to him. Explained what had happened and Rachel handed the phone over to Rachel and she spoke to him.

“She told him how scared she was and how she felt like she had broken her back.”

The groom called the wedding party, who was back at the clubhouse.

All four occupants were seriously injured in the crash. Photo / George Heard

“I think he called his father-in-law and then gave me the phone. I spoke to him and made him aware of what happened and where we are.”

Within 10 minutes, the wedding party and staff drove to the accident in cars.

“One of them passed out after a few minutes at the scene.”

Shortly afterwards the first ambulance arrived, quickly followed by the fire brigade and two rescue helicopters.

Three of the injured were flown to Christchurch Hospital, and the fourth was removed by ambulance.

Jordon sustained injuries to his spine, ribs, sternum, arms, feet and lungs and was transferred to Middlemore Hospital.

The groom Mahdi Zougub suffered a broken back, injuries to both knees, and lung and chest contusions.

His new wife, Fay El Hanafy, suffered back fractures in three stages, a broken sternum, a broken heel joint, and four broken ribs.

The pilot was transferred to Burwood Hospital, where she is in a specialized spinal department.

The golfer spoke to the Herald and asked not to be named as he does not want his actions to be viewed as heroic.

“I think we did our best in the situation and tried to help them and calm them down.

“You have been incredibly lucky – I know you will not feel it at all – it will be devastating, but you are incredibly lucky to fall from the sky and survive.”