According to authorities, all four persons onboard a small plane, including two children, died after the aircraft crashed into seas off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on Sunday.
Queensland police inspector Craig White said the four-seater aircraft took off from Redcliffe airstrip, north east of Brisbane, for a "joy ride" but crashed at approximately 9 a.m. local time. It went off the end of the runway near Redcliffe, some 32 kilometers northeast of Brisbane's main city.
Four dead in Australia light plane crash
Officer White said members of the 69-year-old pilot's family were there at the time of the crash at the Redcliffe airport. The identity of another guy and two additional children, who White said as "younger than teenagers" and not believed to be linked to the pilot, are still unknown, The Independent reported.
After the disaster, images showed the Rockwell International plane floating upside down in Moreton Bay. Officer White stated that when the jet did not return, the families became anxious, and they learned of the situation through social media posts.
Commissioner Angus Mitchell of the Australian Transportation Safety Board stated that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the disaster. In six to eight weeks, a report on the likely cause of the crash would be ready. Police and divers battled because the plane was in a challenging location in the marsh, according to Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.
The jet was seen floating upside down in the wake of the catastrophe while water police and forensic divers worked on the area. He requested anybody with information or who saw the incident to contact Queensland Police or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The ATSB was trying to recover the wreckage, but Mitchell said it was difficult to get a barge in since the tide had gone out.
Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll said early on Sunday that officers and divers were faced with a tough situation. The incident occurred near Redcliffe Airport, however it is unknown how long the plane was in the air or what caused it to crash. The plane's pilot was not a Redcliffe Aero Club member.
Per NDTV, it was a "tragic accident" in the run-up to Christmas, according to police inspector Craig White. "This is the very last thing any family has to deal with at this time of year," he added.
Debris transported to a site for further investigation
The four-seater plane was seen upside down in the water in local media photographs. According to preliminary reports, the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, but officials have demanded a complete investigation to identify the cause.
Additional investigators from the national capital Canberra will be dispatched to assist in the investigation, according to the Air Transport Safety Bureau. Katarina Carroll had earlier informed local media that the first reaction had been hampered by difficult weather. The wreckage from the disaster location might take some time to recover, according to authorities.
The debris is being transported to a safe site at the Redcliffe Aerodrome, where investigators will attempt to collect particular components to transfer to Canberra for investigation.
ATSB investigators have begun questioning witnesses and individuals involved, as well as reviewing recorded data, meteorological information, and pilot and maintenance records.
Shortly after take-off, the Rockwell Commander 114 single-engine light aircraft crashed into the ocean along the beach, landing upside down. There were no people who survived.
Lincom Group, a quarry, mining, and forestry supply company, paid respect to its founder, who died in the incident. The children were ten and nine years old, according to authorities. On behalf of the state government, Queensland MP Stirling Hinchliffe, whose Sandgate district is near the accident site north of Brisbane, lend condolences on Monday.
When the single-engine, four-seater plane failed to return, Inspector Craig White said the pilot's relatives at the airfield became aware of the disaster when they began looking at social media. The ATSB plans to provide preliminary results in the next six to eight weeks, followed by a final report, as AAP via MSN.
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