A HAUNTING final photo of a Sea World helicopter crash victim shows her holding her flight ticket just moments before she was tragically killed onboard.
Sydney mum Vanessa Tadros, 36, is pictured next to her 10-year-old son Nicholas, who was also critically injured in the crash on the Gold Coast, Australia, on Monday.
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The heartbreaking snap shows the excited pair smiling and holding their tickets just moments before boarding the chopper at the Sea World resort.
But a fun family day out turned to tragedy when their chopper collided whilst one was landing and the other taking off, police spokesman Gary Worrell said.
Vanessa was killed alongside Brit couple Ron and Diane Hughes, 57 & 60, and pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40, while Nicholas was left fighting for life in a coma.
Grief-stricken family and friends have since paid tribute to Vanessa and sent well wishes to ‘beautiful Nicky’ as he recovers in hospital.
Her sister-in-law, Bile Miloseska, wrote on Wednesday that she had “an absolute broken heart” following the tragic incident.
She said: “On Monday we lost an absolute angel of a woman.
“Our beautiful nephew, Nicky is in the ICU recovering from his injuries.”
She also asked that loved ones prayed for “total healing for this precious little boy.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the Tadros family after Nicholas underwent several operations.
Close friends of Vanessa, Rochelle and Mikhail Fajloun, also described the young mum as a “generous” and “kindhearted” person.
She told Sunrise: “Vanessa was one of the most remarkable women I ever had the pleasure of knowing.
“I think I can best describe her qualities as the epitome of compassion and the essence of selflessness.
“She was one of the most kindhearted, humble and generous human beings out there.
“She just had this energy about her that was just contagious, and anyone who met her was touched by her.”
MID-AIR TRAGEDY
Vanessa’s husband Simon Tadros told how he was left “totally shattered” after witnessing the two tourist-filled choppers collide with his wife and son onboard.
Mr Tadros posted on social media: “I ask everyone to pray for the little man. He is on life support in a critical condition.
“May God pull him back with me and make a good recovery.”
Family friend Rochelle Fajloun told how he saw the tragedy unfold.
Ms Fajloun said: “Simon distressingly witnessed the accident unfold and is totally shattered.
“With all of the emotional pain that death brings, it can also bring significant financial burden.
“Any donations that can help the family during this difficult period will be most appreciated.
“Vanessa’s beautiful young son Nicholas is critically injured and on life support as he fights for his life in a Gold Coast hospital, with his father by his side.”
Brit victims Ron and Diane, from Liverpool, are understood to have been visiting Ron’s daughter Jane Manns, her husband Ben and their children when the crash took place.
They had decided to take a Sea World Helicopter flight over the Gold Coast on Monday afternoon when tragedy struck.
Jane and Ben said the family has been left “heartbroken” by their deaths.
Horrifying footage showed the moments before the crash as tourists waiting for a flight saw the doomed chopper take off.
One child is heard saying: “Is he going to crash?” as the two black Sea World aircraft head towards a collision.
Investigators are probing why the pilots apparently did not see each other until it was too late.
They believe the main rotor blade of Ash’s chopper – which was airborne for less than 20 seconds – struck the front cockpit of the descending aircraft.
Five of the six on board were cut by shards from the smashed windscreen, but the pilot managed to land alongside the wreck of the other chopper.
Sunbathers, boaters and jet ski riders then raced to help the victims, police said.
At least 13 people required treatment following the tragedy on Monday afternoon at around 2pm.
Angus Mitchell, head of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, said the loss of the rotor blade sent Ash’s copter into an “uncontrolled fall”.
He said: “That led to the main rotor in the gearbox separating from the main helicopter, which then had no lift and has fallen heavily to the ground.”
Sea World Helicopters expressed its sympathy for those involved in the crash – and said it is cooperating with the authorities to find out what happened.
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