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A coroner's inquest has heard that a pilot involved in a fatal helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of a North West couple, was likely impaired by cocaine withdrawal, an alcohol hangover and fatigue at the time. Diane, 57, and her husband Ron Hughes, 65, from Neston, Wirral, tragically lost their lives when two helicopters collided mid-air on Australia's Gold Coast on January 2, 2023.

The couple, who had been married for just 18 months, were visiting family in Australia when the incident occurred near Sea World in Queensland. The collision happened around 2pm local time as one helicopter was taking off while the other was landing.

One of the helicopters managed to land safely on a sandbank, with five out of its six passengers sustaining only minor injuries. However, t

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