On February 28, Chris 'Willow' Wilson and Seb Robinson were portion of a three-chopper ovum postulation expedition (map pictured) to the distant King River swamps successful West Arnhem Land
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
7:03am Pilot Seb Robinson and ovum collector Chris 'Willow' Wilson are connected 1 of 3 Robinson R44 helicopters which acceptable disconnected from Noonamah connected a crocodile ovum postulation cognition connected West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, astir 500km from Darwin. Each chopper has 1 aviator and 1 ovum collector. They alert for 90 minutes to a drum refuelling tract successful the bush adjacent Mount Borradaile.
8.30am Choppers alert from drum refuelling country to the King River staging area, 20 minutes away. Mr Wilson allegedly shares a representation of the substance gauge showing it was astir afloat to their shared WhatsApp group.
Around 9am Choppers divided up to spell to their assorted ovum postulation areas. Two caput 12km north-east and collected eggs from 9 nests betwixt 0911 and 1014.
10.14am The different 2 crews realise they've not heard from Robinson and Wilson and main chopper aviator - and manager of Remote Helicopters Australia - Michael Burbidge, 44, goes to look for them.
10.36am It finds the wreckage of their helicopter, 30km southbound of South Goulburn Island. Mr Wilson, 34, is dormant 40m from the wreckage and Mr Robinson, 28, is earnestly wounded with spinal injuries connected the crushed adjacent to the aircraft. Their chopper has collided with trees and terrain. The 2nd chopper concisely takes disconnected again to marque vigor interaction and rise the alarm.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright allegedly flies to the clang country with off-duty constabulary sergeant Neil Mellon and Darwin publican and crocodile husbandman Mick Burns. Mr Burns has not been charged with immoderate offences.
The chopper (pictured) was recovered upright but severely damaged. Trees adjacent showed signs of being damaged by its rotors, but determination was nary occurrence astatine the scene
12.30pm A CareFlight chopper arrives astatine the country and airlifts the aviator to Maningrida, wherever helium was transferred by level to Darwin.
APRIL 19, 2022: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau merchandise their archetypal findings into the crash, with the afloat study expected successful the archetypal 4th of 2023. It finds the helicopter's motor stopped anterior to impacting the ground. Just 250ml of substance was successful the substance bladders which were some intact, but the study notes substance whitethorn person drained into a adjacent creek arsenic the substance strategy was damaged successful the crash. There were nary different evident signs of mechanical nonaccomplishment and nary occurrence astatine the scene.
AUGUST 25, 2022: Father of 3 Neil Mellon, 47, is arrested soon aft helium arrives for enactment astatine Darwin constabulary station. Police raid his location and allegedly find amerciable wildlife, fireworks and firearms.
AUGUST 26, 2022: Mellon is charged with 31 offences, including attempting to pervert the people of justness and stealing and unlawfully accessing data. His charges besides subordinate to weapons, firearms and wildlife offences, arsenic good arsenic alleged demolition of grounds successful narration to a large clang investigation.
Later the aforesaid day, his woman Sandi, besides a serving NT constabulary officer, posts accusations connected Facebook, unrelated to the crash, astir a erstwhile adjacent pistillate person which were aboriginal deleted.
Mellon is understood to person since resigned from the constabulary aft 27 years' service.
SEPTEMBER, 2022: Outback Wrangler and begetter of 4 Matt Wright, 43, relocates with his large woman Kaia from Darwin to the Gold Coast successful Queensland.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022: Helicopter aviator Michael Burbridge - who was archetypal connected the country of the calamity - is charged successful transportation with the crash. He is accused of destroying evidence, conspiracy and attempting to pervert the people of justice, and providing a mendacious statement.
NOVEMBER 28, 2022: NT Police contented an apprehension warrant for Wright and he's told to contiguous himself astatine Darwin constabulary presumption wrong 48 hours to look astatine slightest six superior charges concerning the crash. They subordinate to his actions earlier and aft the clang and allege helium tampered with evidence.
NOVEMBER 29, 2022: Wright checks successful for an 8.15am formation from Sydney to Darwin with his woman and their newborn girl Dusty. He is charged successful the day with a drawstring of offences successful narration to the chopper crash.
NOVEMBER 30, 2022: Wright appears astatine Darwin Court connected 7 charges relating to the clang which helium strenuously denies and is granted bail until the adjacent tribunal quality connected January 25, 2023.
Wright is charged with attempting to pervert the people of justice, destroying evidence, fabricating evidence, unlawfully entering a building, unlawfully entering a dwelling, making a mendacious declaration and interfering with witnesses successful a transgression probe oregon tribunal process by making threats/reprisals.
NOVEMBER 22, 2023: Air Transport Safety Bureau finds the clang 'likely' happened erstwhile the chopper ran retired of substance and Chris Wilson died of aggregate injuries erstwhile the aviator released him from supra a survivable tallness arsenic helium dangled beneath the chopper.
DECEMBER 7, 2023: Wright, Mellon and Burbidge volition look tribunal for a preliminary introspection exertion successful Darwin. If the exertion is unsuccessful, the trio volition instrumentality to tribunal connected December 8 for a Preliminary Examination (on the papers). However, if the exertion is successful, a further tribunal day volition beryllium set, astir apt adjacent year, for a Preliminary Examination (Oral).
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