Three Lives Lost in Seaplane Accident off the Coast of Western Australia
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Sydney, Jan 8 (NationPress) Three individuals, comprising two foreign tourists, tragically lost their lives and three others were admitted to the hospital with serious injuries following a seaplane crash off the coast of Western Australia (WA), as reported by authorities on Wednesday.
The Premier of WA, Roger Cook, announced at a press conference alongside WA Police Commissioner Colonel Blanch that the bodies of the victims were retrieved from the wreckage by water police on Tuesday evening.
The deceased have been identified as a 34-year-old male pilot hailing from Perth, a 65-year-old female tourist from Switzerland, and a 60-year-old male tourist from Denmark.
At the time of the crash, there were seven occupants aboard the privately-operated seaplane, which went down into the ocean shortly after takeoff at approximately 4 PM local time on Tuesday, near Rottnest Island, a renowned tourist spot located 20 km offshore from Perth.
Four passengers were rescued from the water and airlifted to a hospital on Tuesday night, with three suffering from serious injuries, according to Xinhua news agency.
The survivors include a 63-year-old Swiss national, a 58-year-old Danish national, and two West Australians aged 65 and 63.
Cook stated that preliminary investigations have not confirmed witness accounts suggesting that the aircraft struck a rock just before the crash.
Aerial footage captured at the crash site revealed the aircraft nose down in the water with debris scattered nearby.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his condolences in a statement, extending his thoughts to all those affected.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau announced on Wednesday that it would initiate an investigation into the crash.
Reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) indicated that the seaplane involved in the accident was brand new.
Witness Greg Quin informed ABC radio that the plane crashed mere moments after taking off from Thomson Bay on the island's eastern coast.
Rottnest Island is a favored tourist destination, celebrated for its population of quokkas—small marsupials—and is serviced by various companies providing air transfers from Perth.
