A New Zealand top helicopter pilot who counted celebrities such as Britney Spears and Mel Gibson amongst his passengers, has died in a helicopter crash in Papua New Guinea.
Aucklander Richard Paul Crook, 33, was working for a mining company searching for oil when he died last Thursday, The New Zealand Herald reported.
He was stationed in a camp in remote bush in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, near Lake Murray.
The accident happened after Mr Crook had delivered a load of mining equipment from his helicopter to miners situated in a clearing about 3km from the camp.
Desmond Ross, chief executive of the helicopter company that held the mining contract Heli Niugini, said it was not yet known what caused the crash.
The wreckage is expected to be transported on a barge to Heli Niugini's Port Moresby base for testing next week.
Mr Ross said Mr Crook was a top pilot and had several close friends within the company who were devastated by his death.
His body, which was in a funeral home in Papua New Guinea, was expected to be returned to New Zealand either today or tomorrow.
"We're so shattered," Mr Crook's mother Christine told the Herald.
"He was such a unique person, very special."
The pilot had previously worked for a Fijian charter flight company and had flown popstar Britney Spears from the airport to a private island and actor Mel Gibson and his family to Mago Island which Gibson owns.
Family friend Sean Fowke said Mr Crook was a "larger than life character" expert flyer.
"Every time I spoke to him about his flying he seemed to be so aware of every factor that came into it.
"This has certainly come as a shock to everyone who knew him."
