Police said the four were killed when the small plane crashed into shallow water. (representative)
Brisbane:
Two adults and two children have been killed after a light plane crashed off the coast of the Australian city of Brisbane, police said on Sunday.
Queensland State Police said the four were killed when the small plane crashed into shallow waters near Redcliffe, a bayside suburb to the north of the city, just after 9am local time.
The bodies of the 69-year-old pilot and three passengers – an adult man and two children – were later found by police divers. The passengers have yet to be identified.
Police Inspector Craig White described it as a “tragic accident” leading up to Christmas.
“This is the last thing a family has to experience at this time of year,” he said.
Local media images showed the four-seat plane upside down in the water.
Early reports said the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, authorities said, but a full investigation had been ordered to determine the cause.
The Air Transport Safety Bureau said additional investigators would be sent from the national capital, Canberra, to assist with the investigation.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll previously told local media that the initial response had come under difficult circumstances.
“The aircraft is in a very, very difficult situation, (a) difficult position in the wetland area,” she said.
Authorities said it may take some time to remove the wreckage from the crash site.
(This story was not edited by DailyExpertNews staff and was generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
