Canberra, Australia: A Cessna 208 Caravan carrying seven individuals crashed near Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination in Australia, plunging into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday afternoon. Police reported that only one person emerged unscathed, while three suffered serious injuries and three others remain unaccounted for.

The aircraft, operated by Swan River Seaplanes, was en route to Perth, the capital of Western Australia, located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Rottnest Island.

Australia’s Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the incident, deploying specialists to the crash site to search for the missing passengers and determine the cause of the accident. According to ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell, “During take-off, the floatplane reportedly collided with the water, coming to rest partially submerged.”

Greg Quin, a tourist vacationing on Rottnest Island, witnessed the crash. “We were watching the seaplane take off, and just as it started to lift off the water, it tipped over and went down,” he said, as quoted by the Associated Press. Quin added that several nearby boaters quickly rushed to the site of the crash to assist.

The three injured passengers were airlifted to a Perth hospital, where they are reported to be in serious but stable condition.

Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, expressed his sorrow over the incident, calling it “terrible news.” In an interview with ABC TV, he said, “The images of this crash would have shocked all Australians this morning. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.”