[Peetwo]

An aircraft crashed into the Swan River, Perth..

A PLANE has crashed into the Swan River hours before the annual Australia Day Skyworks show is due to kick off.

The incident happened just after 5pm.

It is unclear whether the crash will affect the Skyworks show, which was due to start at 8pm.

More to come.

Via news.com.au:

Swan River plane crash: Man, woman dead in Australia Day tragedy in Perth
January 27, 2017 7:58am

A screen grab obtained from supplied vision shows a plane that crashed into the Swan River during Australia Day festivities in Perth. Picture: AAP/Mark Annette-Stuart and Jorden Teo

TWO people are dead after a plane stalled, nosedived and crashed into Perth’s Swan River in front of thousands of horrified Australia Day revellers.

Police confirmed this morning that the pilot and only passenger were both killed when the flying boat, a Grumman G-73 “Mallard” stunt plane, crash-landed into the river just after 5pm and broke up on impact.

The crash came just hours before scheduled Australia Day fireworks, which were cancelled in the wake of the tragedy.


The plane seconds before it crashed into Perth’s Swan River. Picture: Supplied/Mark Annette-Stuart and Jorden Teo/AAPSource:AAP


Two people have been killed in a plane crash on the Swan River in Perth just hours before the city’s annual Australia Day skyworks show. Picture: Vicky ClarkeSource:Supplied

The pilot and passenger were confirmed dead a short time later. The pair are believed to be husband and wife.

The aircraft will remain in the water under guard by water police, and the scene will be reassessed later this morning after consultation with Department of Transport and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, police say.

The tragedy was captured on video and posted to social media, along with hundreds of comments.

“It looked like it just broke in half as it hit the water. The sound as it hit … was just shocking,” one witness told ABC News.

Another who saw the crash, local resident Mark Annette-Stuart, told AAP: “The plane seemed to be banking and then it looked like it was turning too sharply and just seemed to fall into the water.”

Boats rushed to the wreckage near Heirisson Island in a desperate effort to rescue survivors but it was to no avail.


A West Australian police boat patrols the debris of a plane that crashed into the Swan River yesterday afternoon. Picture: Richard Wainwright/AAPSource:AAP

WA 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.
Authorities will this morning focus on what caused the crash.

“Firstly we have a scene out here which will be subject to both coronial and a CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) investigation,” Mr Brown said.


The plane will remain underwater as investigations continue into the tragedy this morning. Picture: Richard Wainwright/AAPSource:AAP

“It’s really important that we preserve that scene to make sure that we can extract everything we can to find out why this tragic event occurred.”

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 Mr Brown urged those gathered to head home.

Extra public transport services had been organised to help them on their way, he said.
It’s not known whether the plane was there as part of the planned festivities.

At the South Perth foreshore, families setting up for tonight’s Skyworks rushed to the river’s edge as the plane crashed into the water.

“I was watching the show and all I saw was the plane just nosedive into the water,” witness Natasha Eyles said.

“As it hit the water you could see the plane break into two.”

Witness Craig Newill was with his family when the plane went down. “We were so stunned and shocked,” he told News Corp. “We could see him stall.

“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.”


Scheduled fireworks were cancelled in the wake of the tragedy. Picture: Richard Wainwright/AAPSource:AAP

PerthNow reader Kristijana Dutkovic said: “Saw it do a couple of passes over the water & then it dropped straight into the water.

“Boats were quick to respond though — hope they (are) all right.”

The City of Perth issued a statement just after 6pm confirming the fireworks had been cancelled due to the incident.

The display, which attracts massive crowds each year, had been due to start at 8pm. It is the first time the event has been cancelled in its 33-year history.
— with staff writers

RIP..