A Kewarra Beach man found dead in a helicopter crash 40km north west of Port Douglas was initially overlooked by emergency services, it has been revealed.

The 25-year-old plumber was a passenger of the Robinson R44 chopper that went down near Mount Carbine on Friday afternoon. The pilot survived the crash but was too disoriented to remember whether he had anyone with him at the time he was rescued. He was then airlifted to the Cairns Base Hospital where he revealed to authorities he did have a passenger onboard.

“A rescue helicopter was tasked to the area (on Friday), it located wreckage of a helicopter,” Senior Sargent James Coate told a press conference in Cairns.

“Crew were then winched down locating a pilot in an injured state. Police were aware that a second person... was supposed to be with the aircraft.

“A significant and extensive search and rescue operation was then launched to locate that passenger. At around 10am (Saturday morning) that passenger was located, unfortunately deceased.”

It was still unclear whether the man died on impact, however a full investigation is currently underway. The terrain where the helicopter crashed made it difficult for emergency service personal to reach, according to Coate.

He said more than 50 rescue workers scoured the wreckage area before discovering the man’s body. He had been performing maintenance works in the region for the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The pilot, a 43-year-old from Marlborough, is still in a serious condition.