Panic erupted over Sydney Harbour tonight as a light show drone display malfunctioned, sending dozens of expensive military-grade craft crashing into the water and onto the foreshore. The spectacle, intended to celebrate the opening of a new tech expo, turned into a scene of confusion and fear just minutes after the pre-programmed swarm began its routine. Bystanders reported hearing a series of loud buzzing sounds and then watching as the drones – each worth thousands of pounds – started dropping from the sky like stones.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, though remarkably no injuries have been confirmed yet. Witnesses described a terrifying few minutes as people scrambled to get out of the way. One onlooker, Mark Tindall, 35, told this reporter: “It was supposed to be beautiful.
Instead, we saw these things just fall. It was like a bad dream. I’ve never seen anything like it.
” The city’s port authority has closed the harbour to all vessels while debris is cleared. The organiser of the event, a company named SkySpark Australia, has issued a brief statement saying they are investigating and that the safety of the public is their priority. For Sydneysiders already coping with high living costs and housing pressures, this is another jolt to the city’s sense of security.
It will take time to count the full cost of the disaster: not just the financial hit from equipment destroyed, but the psychological damage of a night that was meant to be a beacon of fun turning into a nightmare. As details continue to emerge, working families in the surrounding suburbs are left wondering whether this promises any compensation or answers. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
