Four Britons and an 11-year-old boy are believed to be among six
people killed when a sea plane plunged into a river on a New Year’s Eve scenic
flight north of Sydney.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which
occurred as the party was returning to the city after lunch at an exclusive
waterside restaurant.
Conditions for yesterday’s flight were cloudy and windy and,
according to Channel Seven, the plane, which was at least 50 years old, may
have clipped trees before crashing.
All six bodies, including that of the pilot, were recovered by
police divers following the crash at a quiet inlet of the Hawkesbury River at
3.10pm local time.
“We saw a seaplane coming towards us,” said Myles Baptiste, an
eyewitness who watched the aircraft make a sharp turn before hitting the water
and quickly sinking. He told 9News: “It made a tight right hand turn and as it
actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the
water.”
The five passengers, that included a child aged about 11, had
been dining at Cottage Point Inn restaurant. Foreign Office sources confirmed
last night that British nationals had been onboard.
The single-engine DHC-2
Beaver aircraft was operated by Sydney Seaplanes, which offers round trips to
Cottage Point Inn for £310 per person that includes the meal. Pippa Middleton
and her husband James Matthews took the same Sydney Seaplanes flight to Cottage
Point Inn during their honeymoon in June. Other celebrity passengers have
included Jeremy Clarkson, Ed Sheeran and Jerry Seinfeld.
New South Wales police have
not publicly named the victims and were waiting to ensure that next of kin had
been notified.
The plane is about 40 feet below the surface and is being kept
under guard until it can be recovered on Monday.
“We don’t know why the plane crashed,” said Acting
Superintendent Michael Gorman.
“It’s early in the investigation, we are working with the plane
company and getting investigators to look at how the plane crashed into the
water. Forensic officers are on their way to confirm the identification of
those on board, to let their relatives and next of kin know.”
The restaurant, about 20 miles north of Sydney, is in a suburb
of only 113 people and is difficult to reach by road.
The Foreign Office said
officials from the British Consulate were in contact with local authorities and
it was “ready to provide consular assistance”.
Sydney Seaplanes said it did not know the cause of the crash but
was assisting authorities with investigations. It has suspended all flights
until further notice.
“All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and
the resulting loss of life,” it said.
“We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and
friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed… Sydney
Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights
in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now.”
The plane crashed near the
Jerusalem Bay inlet, about two miles from the restaurant.
Helicopter footage captured
by local television showed an oil slick where the plane entered the water and
an aircraft door floating nearby.
Sydney Seaplanes runs regular flights to and from the
restaurant. On its website, the company says: “Leave the hustle of Sydney
behind as you take to the air for a stunning flight to the award-winning
Cottage Point Inn... Upon landing, the aircraft taxis to the restaurant’s
exclusive seaplane dock, where staff from Cottage Point Inn will welcome you.”
Barbara Amoroso, who was due to take the next flight from the
restaurant, told Channel Nine: “I saw people sitting in the front of the plane
and I saw the pilot, about six of them.”
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was investigating
“the ditching of a single-engine seaplane” and was sending three investigators
to the site from Canberra.
Police said they were hoping that passengers aboard some of the
numerous boats in the area can provide information.
“If people have any footage in this day of social media … we
would be very interested to see any footage people may have taken of the plane
prior to or at the time it crashed into the water,” said Superintendent Gorman.
Sydney Seaplanes said its
DHC-2 Beaver aircraft can take seven passengers, along with a pilot, and have a
cruising speed of 158 miles an hour.
“Despite production stopping forty years ago, there are hundreds
of these timeless classics still gracing the skies,” the company’s website
says. “Our own Beavers have been lovingly restored, equipped with the latest
technology and refitted for comfort and style.”
Police said they will prepare a report for the state coroner.
New South Wales Police Force said divers had recovered six
bodies from the scene and an investigation was under way to identify the
victims and determine the cause of the crash.
Six people including the pilot were on board the plane when it
crashed off Jerusalem Bay near Cowan, north of Sydney, at around 3.10pm (4.10am
GMT) on Sunday, police said.
Local reports said four Britons were among the dead.
The Foreign Office was unable to confirm any details of the
crash but said British officials are in contact with authorities in Sydney.
(Evangle Luo of TTFLY shared with you)
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