Man from Switzerland survives Swiss man dies in seaplane crash in Australia

A Swiss woman has died in the crash of a seaplane carrying tourists off the coast of Western Australia. Four passengers survived the crash, including a man from Switzerland.

Keystone-SDA

08.01.2025, 06:01

08.01.2025, 06:53

SDA

The accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (local time) during take-off on Rottnest Island near the metropolis of Perth. According to the regional government, the victims are a 65-year-old Swiss woman, a 60-year-old Dane and the 34-year-old pilot.

The Swiss Consulate General in Sydney confirmed to the Keystone-SDA news agency that it was dealing with the case and was in close contact with the authorities in Western Australia.

According to the Premier of the state of Western Australia, Roger Cook, four passengers survived the crash into the sea, including a man from Switzerland and a woman from Denmark. Three of them are said to be seriously injured and were treated in hospital. Numerous boats in the area immediately rushed to the scene of the accident to help those affected. They had risked their own safety to help complete strangers who were in urgent need, Cook emphasized.

Hours of searching in the sea

After the accident, police divers spent hours searching the water for three of the seven passengers who were initially missing. They were discovered during the night, but could only be recovered dead. The authorities are investigating what exactly happened. The survivors are to be questioned later by investigators about the course of the accident.

According to the Australian news agency AAP, the Cessna 208 Caravan had only recently been purchased by operator Swan River Seaplanes to offer sightseeing flights over Perth and Rottnest Island. The island, with its white sandy beaches and beautiful bays, is a popular vacation destination for tourists from all over the world.