PERTH, Australia (Reuters) — A light plane crashed into Perth’s Swan River on Thursday (January 26) killing the pilot and passenger on board during Australia Day celebrations.
Thousands had gathered to watch the annual SkyShow and fireworks display when they witnessed the plane crashing into the water.
“He just came in too steep, banked, hard left and that was it. The left wing caught the water and the plane hit the water and snapped in half,” said one witness.
“Everyone was so horrified, yeah, people just couldn’t believe it. And I was with my sister and then yeah, started shouting and was really traumatised,” added another.
Organisers of the fireworks display cancelled the show in respect to the two victims.
“The focus here today on the foreshore on the waters of Perth is to get the aircraft out of the water as quickly as we can and commence the investigation of the plane, and from that in the coming months we’ll have a better understanding of what happened and why,” Acting Police Commissioner, Stephen Brown told reporters in Perth on Friday (January 27).
According to police, emergency services were on the scene within minutes but were unable to save the pair.
