Pilot James Wong, 34, and two passengers, a 65-year-old woman from Switzerland and a 60-year-old man from Denmark, were killed.
“We’ve lost a local, a pilot, and obviously we’ve lost some people who were here on a holiday seeing this amazing part of the world,” Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King said.
Wong’s partner remembered him as a “dear friend, brother, son and partner”.
“He was known for his love for adventure exceptional knowledge on every topic and his passion for seaplanes – a self-proclaimed ‘seaplane tragic’,” she wrote in a statement on a GoFundMe page.
The remaining four passengers were injured. A 58-year-old woman from Denmark and a 63-year-old man from Western Australia remained in a stable condition in hospital tonight while a 63-year-old man from Switzerland and a 65-year-old man from WA had been discharged.
Today, Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigators began collecting evidence from the crash site and examining the wreckage.
“In particular, investigators are seeking to recover and preserve any recorded data onboard the aircraft, including flight tracking and engine performance data, and any mobile phones or other devices,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
The wreckage will be taken to a facility in Perth for further examination.
“We also continue to seek reports from witnesses, in particular anyone who may have footage of the aircraft at any stage of the accident sequence, or in the immediate aftermath,” Mitchell said.
Flight tracking data showed the Cessna 208 floatplane flew fewer than 10 times last year.
It arrived in Perth from the eastern states on December 29 after it was purchased by Swan River Seaplanes.
It flew once on New Year’s Day and 20 times on its busiest day, January 4.
The ATSB will deliver information gathered during the evidence-collection phase of the investigation in a preliminary report before releasing its safety analysis and findings in a final report.
Swan River Seaplanes director Kristy Bailey confirmed services have been paused as her team works with authorities in their investigation.
”Our deepest and sincere condolences are with their families and friends,” she said.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of James, a talented and dedicated pilot who was an integral and deeply cherished member of our team.
“We are equally devastated by those injured and the loss of the two passengers on board, and extend our deepest condolences to their families and all who are grieving this unimaginable tragedy.”
The government has also promised to provide assistance.
“If any lessons can be learnt from it then there certainly will be and they will be put place by the government in the form of any new regulations,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
“If the opportunity presents itself and [the survivors] want to have a conversation with the government about their experience obviously we’d be open to that,” Premier Roger Cook said.
“They’ve been through a harrowing ordeal. They are tourists to WA, they are part of our family and our hearts go out to them.”
