Efforts to recover the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed in the Whitsundays in March, killing a newlywed American couple, have been suspended.
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is still investigating the cause of the crash but said on August 6 it had suspended work to recover the helicopter, which sank to a depth of about 60 metres near Hardy Reef.
The Hawaiian couple, Peter Hensel, 79, and wife Sue, 65, were killed after the Eurocopter EC120 Colibri crashed into water on a chartered tourist flight.
On approach to the Hardy Reef floating helicopter landing site, the pilot noticed an engine malfunction warning message appear, and circled the landing site to check details.
About 12 metres above the floating pontoon, the pilot "recalled feeling a 'thud' and the nose of the helicopter yawed sharply left", the ATSB's preliminary report found.
After attempting to correct the falling helicopter, the pilot lost control and the helicopter crashed into the water, rolling onto its right side.
Mr and Mrs Hensel, who had travelled to Queensland on their dream honeymoon after marrying in December, were pulled from the wreckage by the pilot, 35, and Mrs Hensel’s 33-year-old daughter and her partner, 34, who managed to swim to safety following the impact.
Following the crash the ATSB began investigations, noting the location of the helicopter wreckage in deep water could cause problems.
A severe cyclone later caused problems for the search, with Queensland Police also attempting to locate the wreckage.
In May, the ATSB hired a professional salvage company to search for the wreckage but the search was unsuccessful.
Requests for further government assistance to help locate the helicopter were not forthcoming, the ATSB said, but on June 20 some personal belongings from the helicopter's passengers were washed up on a beach at Cape Flattery, Queensland about 660 km north-west from Hardy Reef.
"This further demonstrated to the ATSB the potential distribution of the wreckage," the ATSB said.
"Considering the factors and evidence available, the ATSB has suspended further search efforts for the helicopter wreckage.
"However, the ATSB considers worthwhile safety outcomes will still be possible in the absence of the helicopter wreckage.
"The ATSB is continuing the investigation and is working with stakeholders including the pilot, passengers, operator, manufacturer and regulator."
