A Seaplane Crashes on Rottnest Island, Killing 3 and Injuring 3 Others
A Cessna 208 Caravan seaplane operated by Swan River Seaplanes crashed during takeoff from Rottnest Island on Tuesday, killing three people and leaving three others injured. The dead include a 65-year-old Swiss woman, a 60-year-old Danish man, and the 34-year-old male pilot from Perth.
The survivors include the pilot’s partners, a 63-year-old Swiss man and a 58-year-old Danish woman, as well as a Western Australian couple, a 65-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man. One person on board was rescued without injury, but the cause of the crash is currently unknown.
The plane was on a return trip from Rottnest Island to its base in Perth when the accident occurred. The island, famous for its sandy beaches and quokkas, is a popular tourist destination during the current Southern Hemisphere summer months.
Australian Premier Roger Cook described the incident as “terrible news” and said that the cause of the crash has yet to be determined. Western Australian Police Commissioner Col Blanch added that no one on board sustained life-threatening injuries, and three people were taken to a Perth hospital for treatment.
The seaplane’s wreckage and the bodies of the three deceased were recovered from the water, with police divers recovering the bodies from a depth of 8 meters (26 feet) on Tuesday night. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the incident, with experts being sent to the scene to determine the cause of the crash.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “terrible news” and expressed his condolences to those affected. The incident has sent shockwaves through the tourism industry, with Rottnest Island being a premier destination for visitors.