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Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright has arrived in Darwin after being issued with an arrest warrant in relation to an investigation into a helicopter crash that killed a friend and colleague of his earlier this year.
Key points:
- Matt Wright arrived in Sydney this morning and is on his way to Darwin
- Mr Wright, who “strenuously denies” any wrongdoing, has to hand himself into police by 9am tomorrow
- Tourism NT says it provided $250,000 in funding for his Netflix show
Northern Territory police yesterday issued the warrant for a 43-year-old man and said he was instructed through his legal team to present himself by 9am on Wednesday.
Mr Wright arrived at Darwin airport shortly before midday and made no comment to the media.
He was accompanied by several men, some of whom jostled with waiting reporters and camera operators as they escorted Mr Wright outside.
Police say he is expected to face several charges in relation to the investigation into a helicopter crash which killed Mr Wright’s close friend Chris “Willow” Wilson, 34, in February.
The charges include perverting the course of justice, destruction of evidence, fabricating evidence, interfering with witnesses and unlawful entry, according to police.
ABC News: Tiffany Parker
)A spokesperson for the TV star released a statement yesterday, saying Mr Wright “strenuously denies” any wrongdoing in relation to the crash.
Mr Wright was not on board the helicopter at the time of the accident.
The TV star had been living in Queensland when the warrant was issued and travelled through Sydney airport this morning with his wife and newborn baby.
His TV program Matt Wright’s Wild Territory received $250,000 in production funding from the NT government’s Screen Territory last year.
Mr Wright owns a number of tourism businesses in the Northern Territory, including Top End Safari Camp and Tiwi Island Retreat, which a Department of Industry Tourism and Trade spokesperson said are “promoted in the same manner as all other NT tourism products”.
“While this is part of an ongoing police investigation no further comments can be made,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Wright is also part of Tourism Australia’s “Friends of Australia” ambassadorship program.
“Tourism Australia is aware of reports regarding Matt Wright, which relate to an ongoing police investigation. Tourism Australia will monitor any legal proceedings that follow,” a Tourism Australia spokesperson said.
Netflix, which is the company behind Mr Wright’s TV show, declined to comment.
Mr Wright described the accident in February — which took place while Mr Wilson was on a job collecting crocodile eggs in a remote part of West Arnhem Land — as a “tragic accident”.
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