Tuesday 29 November 2022 03:03 AM Outback Wrangler Matt Wright bodyguards in wild scuffle with cameraman in Darwin trends now
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright's bodyguards have scuffled with cameramen and waiting media at Darwin Airport as the TV star landed in the Northern Territory to hand himself into police.
His wife Kaia ran alongside reporters and filmed the wild commotion on her own phone as the flanks of supporters tried to protect him from questions and cameras.
Mr Wright refused to answer as he raced into the back of a white Land Rover after his early morning flight from Sydney touched down in Darwin.
'There was quite a bit of pushing and shoving going on,' said one reporter.
Several large men, wearing baseballs caps, could be heard yelling 'Come on, let's go!' as they barged their way through the media pack with Wright at the centre.
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright's bodyguards have scuffled with cameramen and waiting media at Darwin Airport as the TV star landed in the Northern Territory to hand himself into police
Wright flew back after a warrant for his arrest was issued over a string of charges over a helicopter crash that killed one of his best mates earlier this year.
Daily Mail Australia photographed The Outback Wrangler star loading his luggage into an overhead compartment in the business class section of Qantas Flight 840 from Sydney on Tuesday morning.
The warrant for Wright's arrest was issued on Monday, following an extensive police investigation into the crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson, 34, in February.
Wright was given a 48-hour deadline to present to a Northern Territory police station.
Mr Wilson died when a chopper he was travelling in crashed at Arnhem land. A second chopper carrying three men, including Wright, 43, immediately flew to the scene.
It's alleged the trio interfered with evidence at the crash site in an attempt to perverse the course of justice.
Reality television personality Matt Wright was spotted boarding a flight to Darwin on Tuesday morning
Matt Wright was seen loading his luggage into an overhead compartment in the business class section of Qantas Flight 840
Wright was surrounded by television cameras as he walked through the Sydney Airport terminal accompanied by his wife Kaia, who was holding their newborn baby daughter
Wright was seen arriving at Sydney Airport early Tuesday morning accompanied by his wife Kaia, who was holding their 10-day-old daughter Dusty Faith.
He ignored questions when approached by several journalists as he moved swiftly through the terminal before boarding the plane.
Flight QF840 left Sydney at 8.15 am and is expected to land in Darwin shortly before 11.30am.
Wright will be charged with at least six offences, including perverting the course of justice, destruction of evidence, fabricating evidence, interfering with witnesses, unlawful entry and making a false statement.
He has since strenuously denied any wrongdoing over what he described as a tragic accident.
Matt Wright was spotted at Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning, a day after NT Police issued an arrest warrant
Mr Wilson was collecting crocodile eggs in a remote area of west Arnhem Land when the Robinson R44 helicopter he was hanging 30 metres below collided with trees and the ground in west Arnhem Land.
His body was found 40m from the main wreckage at the King River crash site, a preliminary Air Transport Safety Bureau report revealed in April.
The father of two was attached to a line using a harness so he could harvest eggs from crocodile nests in swampy areas while the helicopter hovered above.
Pilot Sebastian Robinson was seriously injured in the crash and is still recovering from spinal injuries.
The R44 Raven II registered VH-IDW Mr Robinson was flying had been operated by Mr Wright's company Helibrook.
Police will allege Mr Wright tampered with evidence when he rushed to the crash site in another helicopter.
It's understood minutes before the crash that claimed his life, Mr Wilson took a photo of the fuel gauge showing the chopper's almost full tank, which he then shared in a WhatsApp group chat.
Mr Wilson's mobile phone then allegedly went missing from the crash site, The Australian reported.
The Outback Wrangler star will be charged over the helicopter crash that killed his close mate and co-star Chris "Willow' Wilson (pictured)
Matt Wright (right) had little to say and refused to answer reporters questions as he and his wife (pictured holding their baby daughter) made their way through the airport terminal
Matt Wright was confronted by media crews as he made his way through the airport terminal
The photo of the fuel gauge contradicts the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's preliminary report, which revealed that investigators only drained about 250ml of blue fuel from the main tank's bladder after the crash despite the two fuel bladder tanks still being intact.
Police will also allege Wright regularly disconnected the hours meter in the VH-IDW and other helicopters used by his company and ordered other staff to do the same.
An hours metre is a device used in aviation to measure the time an aircraft is in use.
Police will also allege Mr Wright visited Mr Robinson in the hospital twice after the crash to try to get him to falsify records relating to the helicopter involved in the crash and to delete evidence from his mobile phone.
Sources told the publication Mr Wright was not on the egg collection mission that ended tragically because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19.
It's understood photos provided to police by tourists who had travelled in the helicopter revealed that the chopper had been in use on days when information provided to CASA indicated it had not been flying.
It's understood police have spent at least six months investigating Mr Wright's actions before and after the fatal crash.
Helicopter pilot Michael Burbidge and Mr Mellon were previously charged with various offences in relation to the crash.
Matt Wright (pictured with wife Kaia) is expected to present himself to a Darwin police station on Tuesday
