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A helicopter carrying two people crashed in Melbourne just minutes after taking off on Thursday, leaving one person injured.
The incident occurred around 2.30pm local time (4.30am GMT), when an R44 helicopter took off for what was described as a training operation.
Two people were on board, the pilot and a passenger. Both suffered minor injuries, with one taken to The Alfred hospital for further treatment, authorities said.
Photographs from the scene showed the mangled remains of the helicopter lying near a runway, with a crumpled rotor blade and a detached tail section.
Fire Rescue Victoria said fuel had begun leaking from the wreck immediately after the crash, raising the risk of a fire.
“Unable to stop the leak, FRV crews laid a blanket of firefighting foam over the spilt fuel and aircraft and isolated power sources to the helicopter to ensure the fuel did not ignite,” the agency said in a statement.
Victoria Police confirmed there were no fatalities and said emergency services were called promptly after the crash.
“Two people were on the craft at the time and one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries,” police said. “WorkSafe and ATSB will be notified of the incident.”
Data from FlightRadar24 indicated the aircraft had only been airborne for a short time before it came down near the runway.
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