UPDATE: Missing helicopter pilot Brad Maisel is presumed dead after police and emergency services suspended their search this afternoon.

Sergeant Scott Ezard from the Cairns police Forensic Crash Unit said they had scaled back land, air and sea searches for the Mareeba cane farmer, who crashed his aircraft near Noah Beach, south of Cape Tribulation last Thursday night. Port Douglas local Danny Gray survived the crash and managed to swim to shore for help.

Sporadic searches would continue to be made on the shoreline by SES and police but Maisel's family have been informed of the grave news.

Police also confirmed they would not be retrieving the helicopter but would work with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on an investigation into the crash. 

-------------------


YESTERDAY: The search for missing helicopter pilot Brad Maisel has reverted back to the shoreline with Cairns police saying chances of him being found alive are almost gone.

Inspector David Dini, the officer on duty when the Robinson 22 helicopter crashed into the ocean south of Cape Tribulation on Thursday night, said police were currently patrolling the beach on quad bikes from the mouth of Noah’s Creek north to Cape Tribulation.

They have also chartered a helicopter searching the beach and foreshores from Thornton Beach. Inspector Dini said they held grave fears for Maisel, a 50 year old cane farmer from Mareeba.

“At this stage we are still focused on locating the pilot but it has switched to a recovery (search) at this stage,” he said.

“Our advice is that survivability in that area in those conditions would have expired yesterday. Had the pilot made it out of the aircraft and to shore, we would have located him.

“The forensic crash investigators have been up there yesterday, their job is to prepare a report for the coroner, we will have discussion with them and based on their discussions with the coroner we will make a decision as to whether or not we will continue the search after tomorrow.” 

Maisel and friend Danny Gray, who runs the Rattle ’n’ Hum restaurant and bar in Port Douglas, were returning from a fishing trip when the chopper went down.

Gray managed to swim 800 metres from the crash site to shore with a fractured leg before being assisted by campers.

Navy divers located the aircraft in about seven-metres of water yesterday using sonar technology, but found no trace of Maisel.

“The divers did find that one of the seatbelts was secured, and one was not secured, but there was nothing found inside the aircraft itself so there is no indication of what’s happened to the pilot,” Inspector Dini said.

It can be confirmed that the Perspex screen at the front of the helicopter had been pushed in which would be consistent with the impact, while the tail section at the rear of the aircraft had been severed.

A decision was yet to be made on whether the wreckage would be retrieved for further investigation.