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Plane crash on Perth's Swan river kills two during Australia Day celebrations Plane crash on Perth's Swan river kills two during Australia Day celebrations
(about 9 hours later)
Two people have died after a plane stalled and nosedived into the Swan river in Perth during Australia Day celebrations as thousands of people looked on. A man and a woman died after their stunt plane stalled and nose dived into Perth’s Swan river during Australia Day celebrations as thousands of people looked on.
Police said the pair were killed when the light plane, believed to be a seaplane, crash-landed into the river just after 5pm local time. The pilot and passenger died when the Grumman G-73 “Mallard” flying boat broke up on impact after 5pm on Thursday in front of horrified families.
It is believed only the pilot and a passenger were on board. “The plane seemed to be banking and then it looked like it was turning too sharply and just seemed to fall into the water,” witness Mark Annette Stuart said.
“It looked like it just broke in half as it hit the water,” a witness told ABC News. “The sound as it hit the water was just shocking.” It is believed it was part of an airshow over the river ahead of Perth’s annual Skyworks fireworks display.
The crash was captured on video and posted to social media, along with dozens of comments from witnesses. The plane remained in situ overnight guarded by water police but could be removed on Friday pending a decision by the Western Australian Department of Transport and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
The City of Perth says the Australia Day fireworks have been cancelled and people have been told to return home. The crash was captured on video and posted to social media, along with hundreds of comments.
The WA police acting commissioner told reporters it was fortunate the plane did not hit other people. #Plane crashes into the Swan River. Horrible sight. Filmed by Mark Annett-Stuart. #AustraliaDay #Perth pic.twitter.com/MPI5wRSxeO
“For reasons yet unknown, it’s entered the waterway, thankfully without injuring anyone else on the ground or any other people who are here at the event,” Stephen Brown said. A huge plume of water could be seen as the plane hit the surface nose first. Up to 10 pleasure craft on the river sped to the scene near Heirisson Island and tried in vain to rescue the occupants.
Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi said the fireworks were cancelled out of respect for the dead and to “conserve the integrity of the [crash] site”. “His wings were pointing to the sky and to the water and we thought ‘this is not good’ then we saw it break into two pieces,” witness Craig Newill told the West Australian.
Other witness reported a loud bang as the plane entered the water.
Western Australian police acting commissioner Stephen Brown told reporters it was fortunate the plane didn’t hit other people. “For reasons yet unknown, it’s entered the waterway, thankfully without injuring anyone else on the ground or any other people who are here at the event,” he said.
The Perth lord mayor, Lisa Scaffidi, said the fireworks were cancelled out of respect for the dead and to “conserve the integrity of the [crash] site”.
More than 300,000 people were expected to attend the Skyworks show. However Brown urged those gathered to head home.
Extra public transport services had been organised to help them on their way, he said.