KEY POINTS
- Nine-year-old Leon de Silva suffered brain trauma in Monday's crash but has woken up in hospital.
- His mother Winnie, is also awake and in intensive care on the Gold Coast with serious injuries.
- 10-year-old Nicholas Tadros is in an induced coma after undergoing operations for injuries sustained in the crash.
One of two boys critically injured in a mid-air helicopter collision in Queensland, in which four people died, has woken up in hospital.
Nine-year-old Leon de Silva, from Geelong, suffered brain trauma in Monday's crash near Sea World on the Gold Coast but woke up in Brisbane Children's Hospital on Thursday morning, a Queensland Health source confirmed.
His mother, Winnie, 33, is also awake and in intensive care on the Gold Coast with two broken legs, a damaged left knee, broken right shoulder and broken collarbone.
The only other surviving passenger, 10-year-old Sydney boy Nicholas Tadros, is in an induced coma after undergoing multiple operations for "absolutely catastrophic" injuries he suffered in the accident.
"It's only by God's grace that he survived. He remains in an induced coma and on life-support with his father and his grandmother by his side," family friend Rochelle Fajloun told Sunrise.
His mother, Vanessa Tadros, 36, Britons Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and 40-year-old pilot Ashley Jenkinson died at the scene on Monday.
Sea World Helicopters boss pays tribute to pilot
John Orr-Campbell, director and owner of Sea World Helicopters, has paid tribute to those involved.
"The has impacted many people, and we pay tribute to those that lost their lives," he said in a statement.
"We also acknowledge the suffering of those that were injured.
"We have and continue to reach out directly to offer our deepest condolences, support and counselling to the families and passengers of both aircraft."
Pilot Ashley Jenkinson died in a horror helicopter crash at the Gold Coast Source: Facebook
"I knew Ash personally for nine years. He was a fine man and a standout pilot with 6,210 hours of flying to his name.
"To lose a man and a pilot of Ash's calibre is shocking in every sense of the word. I, along with all the staff at Sea World Helicopters, are gutted to the core.
"My heart aches as I think of Ash's fiancee Kosha and his one-year-old son Kayden."
Mr Orr-Campbell also acknowledged second pilot Michael James who was able to land his chopper safely after the incident, sparing the lives of all on board.
"I would also like to commend the other pilot, Michael James, who heroically got the second aircraft to the ground safely. We wish him well in his recovery."
Ashley Jenkinson had 6,210 hours of flying to his name. Credit: Sea World Helicopters/Facebook
The video taken inside the second helicopter in the lead-up to the crash appears to show one passenger trying to warn the pilot by tapping him on the shoulder.
The passenger then squeezes the edge of the pilot's seat to brace as the cockpit is sprayed with broken glass after the first helicopter's main rotor strikes the windshield of the second.
Children remain in intensive care
Meanwhile, the loved ones of the other boy critically injured in the crash continue to urge people to pray for his recovery.
Earlier, Neil de Silva said his stepson Leon was still unable to open his eyes or talk but had managed to give a very weak thumbs-up when his mother told him everything was going to be alright during a phone call.
"It wasn't a full thumbs-up, it was about halfway, but that was fantastic news yesterday, so they're fighting on and we're gonna have a long battle ahead of us," he said.
Mr de Silva said his wife, who was still in intensive care, wanted to send condolences to the Tadros and Hughes families.
"We're going through hell and can't imagine what they're going through, so she wanted to let them know that she's thinking and praying for them," he said.
