The survivors of the tragic helicopter crash that killed four people at Sea World have opened up about their ordeal.
Riaan and Elmarie Steenberg were on the Gold Coast with their friends when the chopper they were riding in collided with another helicopter on January 2.
The pilot of the chopper that crashed, Ash Jenkinson, was killed along with British tourists Diane Hughes and Ron Hughes.
Sydney woman, Vanessa Tadros, was also killed. Her son Nicholas, who was 10 at the time of the incident, was in a critical condition.
The other victims of the crash, Leon and Winnie de Silva, were seriously injured.
In an interview with 60 Minutes, the couples revealed that they are still picking out the shattered glass from their bodies.
According to Ms Steenberg, she knew something was seriously wrong when she saw the helicopter below her.
Initially, they thought it would be a fun ride. Mrs. Steenberg then added that they didn’t expect anything to happen.
However, as they were taking photos, a frightening message appeared over the radio.
The voice said, “On your left, I see the helicopter underneath you.” Ms. Steenberg then said she asked God for help as the aircraft appeared to be in serious trouble.
The helicopter then exploded and the couples got hit with debris and glass.
The blades of the EC130s, which were flying at an altitude of about 1,200 feet, smashed through the cockpit and pierced the bodies of the victims.
According to Ms Steenberg, she initially thought they were going to die.
The other helicopter’s pilot, Michael James, was able to land the aircraft on a sandbank.
He and his passengers were taken to a hospital and later returned home.
Ms. Steenberg and Ms. Swart noted that they are still picking out the debris from their bodies.
Elmarie said she wanted the debris out of her body so it would remind her of the day the accident happened.
Ms. Swart added that the hardest part of their ordeal was knowing that the other people died.
An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and a final verdict is not expected until 2024.