The 2023 season of 60 Minutes is set to premiere Sunday February 5 at 8.40pm on Channel Nine and 9Now.
In an exclusive report, correspondent Tom Steinfort interviews four of the survivors of the Sea World helicopter tragedy. Their firsthand accounts of the crash reveal new information about the disaster from the lead-up to the collision, the catastrophic impact, and its aftermath as their pilot fought to land his helicopter. Their recollections are supported by video they shot inside their chopper, which now also provides air crash investigators with clues about the possible causes of the accident.
The second story this Sunday is reported by Amelia Adams, the newest member of the 60 Minutes team, who joins the program after a career travelling the world as a Nine News foreign correspondent.
For her debut story, Adams investigates what went wrong on the set of the movie Rust after a gun being handled by actor Alec Baldwin discharged. The weapon was supposed to be loaded with blank bullets, but there was at least one live round in the gun’s chamber. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded in the incident. This week Baldwin, along with the film’s armourer, was charged with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting.
Using body camera footage from emergency responders as well as other video taken on the day, Adams pieces together the timeline of a tragedy that should never have happened. Her report also includes an Australian exclusive interview with a member of the film crew who was on the set at the time, standing only a few metres away when the gun fired.
Kirsty Thomson, Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, says: “Everyone here is thrilled to be back for the 45th season of the program and even more excited to be starting the year with such strong reporting of two very important stories.
“We’re immensely proud we’ve been able to grow our audience, not only on free-to-air TV but also across other platforms.
“Our success is testament to the program’s unparalleled excellence in reporting, camerawork and editing. 60 Minutes will continue to deliver video content that both introduces and deepens engagement with its traditional and online audiences.”