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Up to three Victorians are feared dead after a plane crash in outback Queensland

Premier Jacinta Allan has paid tribute to three Victorian firefighters who were killed when their plane crashed in outback Queensland on the way to help with bushfire efforts.

Up to three Victorians are feared dead in a plane crash in outback Queensland. Picture: Google maps
Up to three Victorians are feared dead in a plane crash in outback Queensland. Picture: Google maps

Premier Jacinta Allan has described aplane crash in outback Queensland that killed three Victoria firefighters as a “terrible tragedy”.

A jet prop plane owned by private Stawell-based company AGAIR was carrying Victorian personnel helping with the northern state’s bushfire efforts when it crashed near the Eloise Copper Mine at McKinlay, southeast of Cloncurry, on Saturday night.

The three people who were on board the aircraft are yet to be identified.

Ms Allan said: “This is a terrible tragedy and our condolences and thoughts go to the loved ones of the three Victorians who have been killed in this terrible accident”.

“They were from a Victorian-based company, based out of Stawell, they were doing work supporting the bushfire effort in Queensland so this really is a terrible tragedy.”

Premier Jacinta Allan has paid tribute to three Victorians who died in a plane crash in outback Queensland. Picture: David Crosling
Premier Jacinta Allan has paid tribute to three Victorians who died in a plane crash in outback Queensland. Picture: David Crosling

A Queensland police spokeswoman said crews were first alerted to reports of a crash at 3.30pm.

The occupants were found dead at 6pm.

Rob Boschen, the chief executive of AGAIR, which has a fleet of firebombers, said the Turbo Commander Aircraft had crashed “while engaged in fire surveillance operations, south of Cloncurry”.

“Authorities have confirmed three of our valued, and dearly loved staff were the only occupants of the aircraft, and there were no survivors,” he said.

“We are utterly devastated, and our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of our staff.”

Mount Isa District Officer Superintendent Tom Armitt said emergency services likely knew who was on the plane but a disaster victim identification team would attend the crash site on Monday to confirm their identification and take them home.

He said the plane had been “completely destroyed by fire” and a small, remote crime scene was now being guarded by police until investigators could attend, with investigations to take several days.

It is believed the crash ignited several small bushfires that were later controlled.

“We ourselves haven’t done a thorough examination of the wreckage yet, so we have our disaster victim identification team coming tomorrow, and they will complete and confirm all those details for us,” Supt Armitt said.

“In this case, we know who was on the plane ... we will be relying on the disaster victim identification team to repatriate those deceased for the relevant post mortem examinations to occur and fully identities to be confirmed from there.

“It’s a remote area, it’s far away from the large centres where the specialists come from so we need to fly everybody in to bring them to the site to do their examinations.

“There’s a short delay, obviously people will be arriving tomorrow, so we expect to be there a number of days until that’s completed.”

Technical investigations into how the crash happened were still in preliminary stages with ATSB investigators also scheduled to arrive on scene on Monday.

Authorities are also expected to probe whether fuel used for the plane played a part in the crash.

“We really feel for the families of the victims. At this stage, we’re in the very, very early stages of our investigation,” Supt Armitt said.

“We can’t provide any technical answers as to why this has occurred. We will do our best to provide a thorough investigation.

“ATSB who will do their investigation as far as the air side, the airworthiness of the aircraft, all those sorts of things on the technical side of the flight, and we will provide that combined report to the coroner.”

Supt Armitt said Eloise mineworkers witnessed the plane “go down” and were first on scene.

“At about 2.30pm yesterday we were advised by workers at the Eloise Mine near Cloncurry, that they observed a plane go down and then they observed a plume of smoke,” he said.

“As we were responding, we were advised that QAS and nine employees had attended the scene and confirmed the plane had crashed.

“We had confirmed that three persons were on board and that the plane was flying from Toowoomba to Mount Isa as part of the ongoing efforts to combat bushfires in the area as an intelligence and friespotting place.

“They were on contract to QFES at the time.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to the firefighters who died. Picture: NewsWire
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to the firefighters who died. Picture: NewsWire

Police are expected to guard the crash site for “a number of days” as forensic examiners record the site.

“It’s a difficult site to get to, obviously it’s rough country. But we have received some excellent support via the farm owner to enable that to occur,” Supt Armitt said.

“(He) has enabled our access and we will have police there 24/7.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the firefighting personnel.

Speaking as he arrived at his hotel in Shanghai after attending a dinner to welcome him as the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016 the PM said “all Australians’ thoughts are with the family, friends, and all who know the brave firefighters” who have lost their lives.

“We know that people who fight fires and stand up in emergency services risk their lives each and every day to assist their fellow Australians and to assist their communities and today, our hearts go out to them,” he said,

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “terribly saddened by the loss of the aerial firefighting crew”.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to the many people who have been impacted by this shocking incident,” she said.

QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “terribly saddened” by the loss of the aerial firefighting crew. Picture: David Clark
QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “terribly saddened” by the loss of the aerial firefighting crew. Picture: David Clark

The deaths would hit aerial firefighting teams hard, QLD Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said.

“For weeks now the teams in the air supporting the firefighting efforts have been working together to keep Queenslanders safe,” he said.

“So many of them know each other, work together, dedicate themselves to the same goal, to keep everyone safe. To lose a team of their own will be especially hard.”

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services first confirmed night authorities were “aware of reports of a light aircraft crash in northern Queensland” on Saturday night.

“The aircraft was contracted by QFES to support the Queensland bushfire response,” a statement read.

“It was engaged by QFES to conduct line scans, and travelling from Toowoomba to Mount Isa when it crashed near Cloncurry.

“The cause of the crash is currently unknown and QFES will assist the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) with its investigation.

QFES offered “deepest condolences to the families of the three people who tragically lost their lives”.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families at this time,” the statement read.

QFES said the loss of firefighting personnel in the crash was “felt by all”.

“During natural disasters in Queensland, we respond as a family. That family includes those contracted to support our aerial operations,” QFES wrote X, formerly Twitter.

“Our hearts are heavy following the fatal plane crash … and the tragic loss of three people supporting our bushfire response.

“Side-by-side we have been fighting these bushfires as one ... our thoughts and prayers are with their family, friends and those who worked alongside them, including our Air Operations personnel.”

QFES said the aircraft was the same type as one that is used as the lead plane for the Large Aerial Tanker (LAT).

Both the LAT and the lead plane will be grounded until advised by authorities.

It comes after Major fires lashed the Mount Isa area in recent weeks.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/up-to-three-victorians-are-feared-dead-after-a-plane-crash-in-outback-queensland/news-story/55e5988863cd4de70ea6e90ae67ec4a4