The trial of Matt Wright was concluded with the renowned Australian crocodile hunter being found guilty of obstruction of justice after the death of a helicopter pilot in 2022. Wright, a global acclaimed wildlife television presenter, was convicted in two of these counts of perverting the course of justice. A third trial was not decided, and the jury was dismissed.
The case concentrated on the actions of Wright when he had crashed in Arnhem Land, which was approximately 500km east of Darwin. The accident involved the death of his co-worker Chris Willow, Wilson, and injury of severely injured pilot Sebastian Robinson. Wright was not on board, but the prosecutors said that later he had torn into part of the critical evidence to give himself an umbrella against responsibility.
What Did the Court Decide?
The jurors sentenced Wright to having lied to the investigators about the amount of fuel in the helicopter. He was also convicted of blackmailing the wounded pilot in order to make false flight records. In the third indictment, in which he sought his associate to destroy the records, he was acquitted by a non-unanimous verdict.
The judge granted bail despite the high risk of an appeal, but the prosecutors asked the judge to deny bail on the basis of immediate custody. The lawyers of Wright even testified that they would appeal convictions. Here is the link to our article on Air India Crash.
How Did the Helicopter Crash Happen?
The researchers came to the verdict that the helicopter was fuel-depleted during an in-flight flight to retrieve crocodile eggs. It was shown that it was not filled properly in a depot, and the pilot did not know that the fuel was low.
The crash killed Wilson, and he was suspended in a sling picking eggs when it happened. Robinson died not but was crippled.
Why Was Wright Charged?
Prosecutors alleged that Wright was attempting to defraud the authorities because of unsafe operational methods like claiming to disconnect the helicopter’s hour meters to fly longer numbers of hours than it was permitted to fly. His actions, so they said, were to have it off with the accident. Here is the link to our article on Air India Investigation.
What Comes Next for Wright?
Matt Wright’s trial ended with a conviction that could impact his professional life as a tourism operator and television personality. Internationally acclaimed, Wright is the ambassador of Australian tourism with such presentations as Outback Wrangler, Wild Croc Territory, and so on.
He is out on bail as he sets up his protest. His contribution in the aviation and tourism industry can be hampered drastically in the event the convictions are upheld.
Final Thoughts
Johannesburg building fire and the Matt Wright trial have increased the level of awareness of the world on the aircraft hazards in the wild and the hazards experienced in remote flights. The case points out the legal and ethical consequences that tampering with evidence after fatal accidents may cause. This faith of Wright has resulted into a debate on the safety measures practiced during high-risk aviation practices, especially in remote regions of Australia. His legal team is readying to take up an appeal, but the case does leave a question of accountability among the operators. Aviation industry experts have prescribed that the compliance and supervisory measures can be stiffened to prevent further tragedies in the future.
