The deaths of three men in yesterday’s helicopter crash near Wanaka airport is a “profoundly felt” loss which will impact not only the Wanaka community, but the wider conservation and aviation communities.

The three victims of the crash were pilot Nick Wallis of Wanaka (38), senior DOC ranger Paul Hondelink (63), formerly of Wanaka, and DOC animal threats biodiversity ranger Scott Theobald (59), of Twizel.

Scott Theobald

The helicopter was on its way to the Haast area when it crashed. The group had planned to undertake tahr control before a rendezvous at Pleasant Flat for a media engagement to mark the first day of DOC’s tahr control programme.

“It’s huge. I think it will be felt very deeply within DOC and the aviation community here and more widely,” Southern district police commander Superintendent Paul Basham said this morning.

While police are not in a position to release many details about the the crash, Superintendent Basham said the fact the accident scene was not remote “provides emergency services and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) with a good platform” to investigate.

Nick Wallis 

There is “a high degree of interest” in the cause of the crash, he said.

“It is important to find answers. Anyone with a professional involvement in this event is motivated to get through this as quickly and efficiently as we can.”

The superintendent wouldn’t comment on the possibility of the accident as a retaliation against DOC’s tahr hunting programme.

“[There is] nothing to suggest foul play,” he said. “It would be a normal consideration, but is only a consideration.”

DOC director general Lou Sanson told Radio New Zealand this morning, “We’ve lost some of the most significant experience in New Zealand, if not the world”.

Paul Hondelink was a senior ranger well known in Wanaka, who had 47 years experience with DOC, specialising in biodiversity. Scott Theobald, based in Twizel, had worked for DOC for about 22 years, including helping create the Conservation Dogs Programme.

“It feels like a huge hole in the Department of Conservation this morning,” Lou said. He acknowledged the families of the victims, and said the Wallis family “has been linked with conservation their whole lives”.

“We just lost so much. These are some of the most experienced people in the world. They’ve pioneered so much for conservation.”

He described Nick as an experienced pioneer of pest control, and said Paul Hondelink was also a pioneer and a hunter able to cover “huge catchments of predator control”. Scott was “just born to kill predators, to bring back our birds”, Lou said.

“Thousands of birds are alive on islands because of these people.”

The police have brought in a team from around the district to support the investigation and will be working at the accident scene today and possibly tomorrow. A police expert in disaster victim identification was on the scene last night. Police will concentrate on the accident scene today before the TAIC, as the lead agency, step in to take over.

Superintendent Basham said there were eyewitnesses to the crash.

He said the police will continue working with the families and the wider community in the days and weeks ahead through “a deep and hard grieving process”.

“It’s huge. I was privileged to take part in a briefing at Alpine Helicopters this morning, led by Jonathan Wallis, and you get a sense of the impact of this event.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage yesterday expressed their sympathy for the families, colleagues and friends of those who died in the crash.

“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of all those who died in today’s tragic crash,” Jacinda Ardern said. "DOC staff go to work every day on our behalf to take care of New Zealand’s precious environment. Their work can take them into dangerous situations. It’s an absolute tragedy that these staff and the helicopter pilot, who were just going about their work, will never return home.”

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage described the accident as “a devastating tragedy”.

“My thoughts and sympathies are with the families and work colleagues of the two DOC staff members and the helicopter pilot.

“I have huge admiration for the skill, expertise and dedication of Department of Conservation staff and operators like the helicopter pilot. They were flying today and using their professional skills as part of their work to protect nature. Their loss is profoundly felt.”

Both the Conservation Minister and Lou Sanson will be visiting the families of the three men today. Nick Wallis’ brother Matt was also killed in a helicopter accident when his Robinson 44 crashed into Lake Wanaka in July.

PHOTOS: Supplied