Two world-renowned filmmakers killed in helicopter crash

PanARMENIAN.Net - Two world-renowned filmmakers were killed in a helicopter crash in Australia on Saturday, Feb 4, National Geographic said.

Mike deGruy, a biologist and conservationist, and Andrew Wight, a pilot and underwater cave diver, were in Australia working with James Cameron and National Geographic on a documentary.

Wight was piloting the Robinson R-44 helicopter as it took off from an airstrip in Jasper’s Brush, near Nowra, 80 miles south of Sydney, New South Wales police said in a statement. The helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff.

An Australian Adventurer of the Year medal winner and Emmy nominee, Wight produced over 45 films since 1989, including television documentaries, live television specials, and 3D Imax films. His journey to becoming a filmmaker began in agricultural science, working in scientific research and marketing. He was a respected SCUBA and cave diving instructor, commercial helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, and cattle farmer. Wight was recently announced as the general manager of the Australian office of Cameron Pace Group, responsible for providing 3D cameras and production technology to Australian films and television.

Mike deGruy was an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and television host specializing in natural history and underwater programming in a career that spanned the world’s oceans and more than 30 years. His work as cinematographer, producer and host for such projects as Life in the Freezer, Trials of Life, Blue Planet, and Last Mysteries of the Titanic won multiple awards and reached global audiences with his infectious love for the oceans and the spirit of adventure.

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