A light aircraft crash at Shellharbour Airport in New South Wales, Australia, claimed the lives of all three people on board on Saturday morning.
According to police, the plane took off shortly after 10 a.m. but crashed soon after, bursting into flames on impact. Firefighters rushed to the scene but were unable to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire.
“Upon hitting the ground, the aircraft caught fire, which was later extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW. Three people have been confirmed dead,” the police said in a statement.
The crash site is about 85 kilometres south of Sydney. Officials said a local RFS unit was conducting a training exercise at the airport when the incident occurred. One of the members witnessed the crash and immediately tried to help.
Authorities have secured the area, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident.
“However, due to the nature of fuel, the fuel exposure, the combustion of the fuel, the occupants had no chance of being saved,” Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Andrew Barber.
“So the plane, which has been from what Fire and Rescue said, it was broken into multiple pieces by the impact of the crash. It’s still on the site, as are the three people who died, unfortunately, and there will be a full investigation forthcoming by police,” he also added.
Aerial footage released by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation showed the burnt wreckage of the plane scattered across the runway. Police confirmed that a crime scene has been established, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been informed to investigate the incident.