Sea plane crashes into waters off Whitehaven Beach

The pilot of a sea plane that crashed into waters off Whitehaven Beach helped to remove passengers from the partially submerged aircraft. UPDATED

A Whitsunday Air Services plane crashed into waters off world-famous Whitehaven Beach with five people, a pilot and four passengers, on board. Picture supplied by Island FM Whitsundays

The pilot of a sea plane that crashed into waters off Whitehaven Beach helped to remove passengers from the partially submerged aircraft.

Five people - four passengers and the pilot - escaped serious injury after the plane hit the water surface at the world-famous site during a joyflight over the area.

The transport safety regulator is working with the pilot and plane operator - Whitsunday Island Air Services - to better understand what happened.

The incident occurred sometime between 8.30am and 9am Saturday.

It is understood the plane may have been attempting a water landing when it “ditched into the ocean” with five people on board.

A Whitsunday Air Services plane crashed into waters off world-famous Whitehaven Beach with five people, a pilot and four passengers, on board. Picture supplied by Island FM Whitsundays

Initial information indicates it was a commercial, passenger carrying flight.

It is understood the pilot is from the Whitsundays and the four passengers were from Sydney.

The plane - owned and operated by Whitsunday Island Air Services, the owner of Hamilton Island Air - was towed to Whitehaven Beach.

Photos, supplied by Island FM Whitsundays on its Facebook page, show the submerged craft which has since been moved the mainland.

No one on the plane suffered serious injuries and everyone was taken to Hamilton Island.

Hamilton Island Air was contacted multiple times by this publication, and did not respond.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau confirmed an incident “involving a DHC-2 Beaver floatplane during landing on the water off Whitehaven Beach” had been reported.

“No injuries to the passengers and pilot were reported,” an ATSB spokesman said.

A sea plane that crashed into waters off Whitehaven Beach on October 26 has been moved to the mainland as further inquiries into the incident are made.

“The ATSB is gathering further information to better understand the circumstances of the accident”.

It is understood the ATSB would not deploy investigators to inspect the craft and would assess reports from the operator and pilot.

This incident comes three days after a Sunshine Coast man died on a beach on the opposite side of Whitsunday Island, which is also home to the world-renowned Whitehaven beach.

Emergency crews were called to Chance Bay where a 58-year-old man suffered a life-threatening medical event just before 6pm on October 23.

Paramedics were in the process of treating the man when he tragically died.

Originally published as Sea plane crashes into waters off Whitehaven Beach