Two tourists killed when a seaplane crashed into the ocean have been identified, as investigators begin a months-long probe into its cause.
Danish man Torben Poulsen, 60, and Swiss woman Danielle Grundbacher-Mosching, 65, were killed along with Australian pilot James Wong, 34, in the crash on Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, at 4pm on Tuesday.
Mr Poulsen and Ms Grundbacher-Mosching were both holidaying in Western Australia with their partners, who were also on board the plane and survived the crash.
The Australian Safety and Transport Bureau has begun recovering and examining pieces of the Cessna 208 Caravan 675 as it starts its investigation.
Investigators have confirmed their probe will take months to complete at least.
Bureau officials are currently working to find the plane’s recording devices, including its flight tracking and engine performance data.
Once investigators have wrapped up their on-site recovery and examination process the plane’s wreckage will be taken to a Perth facility for further inspection.
‘During this time, investigators will identify and secure any relevant components for further analysis at the ATSB’s laboratory facilities in Canberra,’ Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
‘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.’
The wreckage can currently be seen with the naked eye, still laying on the seabed eight metres below the surface.
Mr Mitchell said if his officers find any critical safety issues in the seaplane, relevant stakeholders will be immediately notified.
He added that the investigation will last for months because investigators need to scour the area for any footage of the crash as well as conduct an intricate probe of the plane’s history and maintenance.
‘There’s a whole range of things to put together to give us a better idea of that sequence of flight and then what went wrong,’ Mr Mitchell said.
‘That will take us time to go through all the evidence.’
The collection of evidence alone could take weeks, Mr Mitchell warned.
‘We need to get these things right if we’re to make recommendations that have far-reaching effects.’
Current bureau estimates put their timeline at two months before a preliminary report will be available.
Survivors managed to flee the wreckage on Tuesday afternoon, while police divers recovered the bodies of the three victims later that night.
A 63-year-old Swiss man, a 63-year-old West Australian man, a 65-year-old West Australian woman and a 58-year-old Danish woman were able to escape the crash with various injuries.
The identification of the tourists comes after the grieving partner of the Perth pilot, Mr Wong, opened up about his ‘sudden, unexpected and devastating’ death.
Mr Wong’s partner and colleague Angela Cloeraine broke her silence on Thursday to pay tribute.
‘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 on a GoFundMe page she set up to support his family.
