Rottnest seaplane crash: Albanese speaks on horrific crash, police due to provide update

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken on the “terrible” Rottnest Island plane crash.

The Swan River Seaplane-run Cessna — with the registration VH-WTY — crashed into the waters of Thomson Bay shortly after take-off about 4pm yesterday.

A pilot and six passengers were on the aircraft.

Three of those passengers died in the crash.

Three survivors were taken to hospital, including one with a serious hand injury. A fourth person was remarkably uninjured, with one man seen walking on to a rescue helicopter on the island an hour afterwards.

Mr Albanese described the crash as “terrible news” on Wednesday morning.

“The pictures would have been seen by all Australians as they’ve woken up this morning and my heart goes out to all those involved,” he told the ABC.

The police airwing was doing grid searches north of the impact site late on Tuesday while water police were pulling the wreckage to shore.

Vision of the crash appeared to show the plane, shortly after take-off, dipping sharply to the left. The wingtip hits the water, sending the aircraft nose-first into the bay in front of horrified onlookers on the beach.

Police said the aircraft was believed to have hit Phillip rock before it crashed but the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has not been able to confirm this.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch said several members of the public out in the water rushed to help after the crash.

“Water police and several civilian vessels provided immediate aid to attempt to assist in a rescue ... I do want to reassure the community that we have significant resources on the scene and we are doing everything that we can,” he said in a video address on Tuesday.

“There have been many members of the public who did not hesitate to assist and I do thank them for their efforts.”