Pilot and passenger manage to swim to shore after plane crashes off Fraser Island

A pilot and his passenger have had an incredible stroke, as they were able to swim away from the wreckage of their plane after it crashed off Fraser Island, just 150 metres from an ambulance base on the shore.

TWO men who survived a plane crash off the coast of Fraser Island have been flown back to Hervey Bay.

Veteran pilot Gerry Geltch was one of the two men on board the plane.

In a strange turn of events, paramedics were forced to swim to the wreckage of the plane, which landed in the ocean around 150 metres from the Happy Valley Ambulance base.

According to  Queensland Ambulance Service Senior Operations Supervisor Martin Kelly, paramedics were alerted to the plane crash only moments before they swam to the wreckage to render assistance.

Crashed plane off Fraser Island.

"(The crew) heard a radio message and looked up and actually saw the plane in the water in front of them," Supervisor Kelly said.

"They (paramedics) proceeded down to the waterfront.... There were two men there, one had a life jacket on and one of our paramedics went out to him whilst the pilot used a boogie board to get back in safely back to the shore. Our officers assisted the other person, who had a deep laceration to the forehead, back to the shore."

The pair were treated at the Happy Valley Ambulance station before they were taken to the Hervey Bay Hospital via rescue helicopter.

Queensland Police Inspector for Wide Bay and Burnett district, Tony Clowes, said the men were both employees for the light aircraft company.

He said the pair were fortunate to have escaped with minimal injury.

"They have both safely been recovered from the aircraft and that aircraft is now in the sea bed," Insp Clowes said.

"In all circumstances, the outcome here was as good as to be expected."

Originally published as Pilot and passenger manage to swim to shore after plane crashes off Fraser Island