Telecom New Zealand (TNZ) faces the unusual prospect of an air accident investigation, after a helicopter chartered by the firm crashed spectacularly in the country's capital.
Footage of the smash shows the copter breaking in half as it hauled a Telecom-sponsored Christmas tree into position in Auckland. Initial investigations center on whether the cable hooked to the tree tangled with the aircraft's rotor blades.
A statement from the operator expressed relief the pilot walked away unharmed, and pledged to aid in the accident probe. However, there's no word on when a replacement tree will be deployed - or how it will be erected.
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