Brother of Wanaka helicopter crash victim says it 'could have been any of us'

Friday, 19 October 2018

A helicopter crash in Wānaka claimed the lives of three people, including two DOC workers and pilot Nick Wallis, whose brother died in a helicopter crash in July. (First published October 2018)

The brother of two men killed in separate helicopter crashes says no-one can become immune to losing someone so tragically.

Department of Conservation (DOC) biodiversity ranger Scott Theobald, 59, fellow DOC senior ranger Paul Hondelink, 63, and pilot Nick Wallis, 38, were killed when the helicopter they were in crashed near Wanaka Airport on Thursday morning.

A helicopter crash in Wanaka claimed the lives of three people, including two DOC workers and pilot Nick Wallis, whose brother died in a helicopter crash in July.

Otago Lakes area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said the men's bodies were recovered from the crash site following a blessing with family and friends.

Jonathan Wallis said it could have been any member of their family in the helicopter. His brother, Nick, was 'larger than life'.

'He was one of four brothers, from an aviation family … It doesn't make that any easier that he died doing what he loved, at all.'

**READ MORE:

Wanaka helicopter pilot Nick Wallis died in a Hughes 500 crash while flying DOC workers Scott Theobald and Paul Hondelink to cull tahr.

* Aviation family's double tragedy as second son dies in helicopter crash

* Chopper crash victim Matt Wallis remembered as larger than life**

DOC ranger Scott Theobald has been named as the third person on board a helicopter that crashed in Wanaka on Thursday.

Another of the brothers, Matthew Wallis, was also killed in a helicopter crash this year after leaving Wanaka Airport. The 39-year-old died when his Robinson 44 helicopter crashed into Lake Wanaka on July 21. His body was retrieved two days later.

Jonathan Wallis said losing two brothers in just three months was 'a cruel reality'.

Wanaka Department of Conservation ranger Paul Hondelink perished in Thursday's helicopter crash.

'You don't become immune to this, no-one does. We're a very close family … it makes it very hard.'

Aviation was a way of life for their family, he said.

'Unfortunately, it can be very unforgiving.'

The family was taking the grieving process 'as it comes'. The focus was on getting Nick back to his his wife, Carrie, and their children, he said.

Toby Wallis said: 'Nick was a great little brother'.

Pilot Nick Wallis and two Department of Conservation staff perished in a helicopter crash near Wanaka Airport. Pictured is the wreckage of the Hughes 500.

DOC director general Lou Sanson knew all three men personally and said what happened was 'incomprehensible'.

'This is the worst day as a chief executive.'

Toby Wallis, left, and Jonathan Wallis lost their brother, Nick, in the crash on Thursday.

The deaths of the three spelled the loss of 47 years of conservation knowledge.

Sanson said Hondelink had worked on pest control projects including developing 1080 gels, and invented the 'Judas goat' for conservation.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says the deaths are a tragedy.

Theobald was the pioneer of conservation dogs – the first in the world, Sanson said.

'Everywhere Scott went, the Kiwi numbers went up … In that helicopter is resources we will never ever replace.'

Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigator Barry Stephenson speaks to media on Friday.

Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigator Barry Stephenson said the inquiry could take 18 months to two years.

The men's bodies were found near the helicopter, with wreckage spread over about 1 kilometre and only the rotor blades still intact, he said.

The Hughes 500 helicopter had been leased by Wallis and the trio were on their way to the Haast area on the West Coast to begin a controversial tahr cull. Basham said there was nothing to suggest that foul play by people opposed to the cull had caused the crash.

He would not comment on whether a mayday call had been made.

Sanson said Theobald, from Twizel, was 'born to bring back our birds'.

Pilot Nick Wallis, left, with his father Sir Tim Wallis, has died after the helicopter he was flying crashed in Wanaka.

Theobald looked after Himalayan tahr in Mount Cook National Park, and undertook wallaby and rabbit control measures in the area.

He also trained and bred dogs with the purpose of using them to ward off pests in the bush. His breeding and training skills were sought after overseas and he sent dogs to Japan, Australia, and the Falklands.

Paul Hondelink felling wilding pines on the western shore of Lake Wanaka in 2004.

Department of Conservation (DOC) staff were on board a helicopter that crashed near Wanaka on Thursday morning, leaving no survivors. The Wallis family has been linked with conservation for decades, DOC's Lou Sanson tells us. 'We've lost some of th

Hondelink had recently moved to Twizel from Wanaka and specialised in biodiversity.

The tahr control operation had been put on hold.

Captain Tim Burfoot, TAIC chief investigator, speaks to media about the fatal helicopter crash near Wanaka airport.

Mackenzie District mayor Graham Smith said he was 'saddened and shocked' by the men's deaths.

'It is one of those tragic circumstances that will be felt across the community.'

The secretary of the Upper Clutha branch of the NZ Deerstalkers Association, Murray Burns, worked alongside Hondelink for 14 years and said he was a local legend.

The funeral for Matt Wallis at Wanaka Airport in July. Nick Wallis is standing at the back, with Sir Tim Wallis and other family in the front.

Matthew Wallis' body was retrieved from the Stevenson Arm area of Lake Wanaka on July 23.

A police cordon was put up around the crash scene.

Southern district commander Superintendent Paul Basham speaks to media on Friday.

'He was a fountain of knowledge … If you wanted to find out anything, Paul was the man to go see.'

He understood Hondelink had been shoulder-tapped to lead the tahr project and had moved to Twizel with his wife about a month ago to take up the role.

'I know he was hugely respected in hunting circles and someone willing to give advice and direction to anyone.'

Twizel Area School principal Bill Feasey said the town was still trying to process what had happened.

'It's still really raw. News spread around town pretty quickly.'

FAMILY'S DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Nick Wallis gave a heart-rending eulogy at his brother Matt's funeral in July, saying it 'physically hurts to know your life has been cut short'.

The Wallis men are the sons of aviation pioneer and Warbirds Over Wanaka air show founder Sir Tim Wallis and his wife, Lady Prue Wallis.

Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust chairman John Gilks said he had fielded calls from people around the country in the Warbirds community.

'Everyone is just stunned …Nick was a great guy to work with and he helped plan and execute one of the helicopter displays at the Warbirds airshow earlier this year. Nothing was a problem.'