 "Australia: 3 killed as light plane crashes after takeoff from Shellharbour Airport")
A light plane crashed shortly after taking off from Shellharbour Airport on Australia’s east coast on Saturday morning (Oct 11), killing three people on board, New South Wales Police said.
The crash occurred around 10 am near the airport, located about 100 km south of Sydney. Emergency crews from Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service (RFS) rushed to the scene after reports of the crash.
“Upon impacting with the ground, the aircraft caught on fire which was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW. Three people are confirmed deceased,” police said, as quoted by Reuters.
Footage circulating on social media showed the charred wreckage of the plane on the runway. According to multiple reports, the aircraft — a Piper Saratoga — was headed for Bathurst in regional New South Wales. The pilot, identified as Andrew Connors, owned the aircraft. Reports suggest the plane failed to gain sufficient altitude after takeoff, causing it to crash and burst into flames. Eyewitnesses told news.com.au that the plane appeared to struggle immediately after leaving the runway.
Chief Inspector Wunderlich described the crash as “tragic,” adding, “It’s quite a gruesome scene. We’ve got several witnesses that were here, we had RFS on the scene for a training exercise … also people at the HARS Aviation Museum have witnessed it, and we’ve got some CCTV that captures part of the incident.”
Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Andrew Barber told ABC that even though RFS personnel were present for a training session and responded instantly, the occupants could not be saved. “However, due to the nature of the fuel exposure and the combustion of the fuel, the occupants had no chance of being saved,” Barber said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsPolice have cordoned off the area, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the two passengers.
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