Seaplane with seven people on board plummets into the ocean near popular Australian tourist island

Three people remain missing and three others have suffered serious injuries after a seaplane crashed near a popular tourist spot shortly after the plane took off.

The aircraft plunged into the water near Thompson Bay on Rottnest Island, around 19km off the coast of Perth, about 4pm on Tuesday.

Emergency services including water police and two RAC Rescue helicopters were among dozens of first responders, who arrived at the scene. 

Four people including the three, who suffered serious injuries, were rescued from the water and have been airlifted to hospital.

‘Water Police and a number of civilian vessels provided immediate aid in an attempt to assist in the rescue,’ WA Police Force Commissioner of Police Col Blanch said.   

‘This is very much an unfolding situation and we are working to ascertain the details.’ 

Commissioner Blanch said the privately owned aircraft hit the water at Phillip Rock at the entrance of Thompson Bay. 

Seven people are understood to have been on board the aircraft, the West Australian reports. 

Commissioner Blanch thanked witnesses, who assisted with the rescue effort. 

‘I do want to reassure the community that we have significant resources at [the] scene and we are doing everything that we can,’ Commissioner Blanch said. 

Several witnesses were left shocked by the crash and said the scene was chaotic.

‘I saw two injured people. One guy was limping. He needed support to get off the boat. He would have been in his late 30s maybe,’ Elisa Meazzi told Perth Now.

‘Then a woman in her 50s. Then one in her 20s.’

Another witness said he heard the sounds of police and emergency service vehicles and saw water police surrounding the plane in the ocean. 

Four people including the three, who suffered serious injuries, were rescued from the water and have been airlifted to hospital following the light plane crash (pictured)

‘We didn’t know what had happened because we were on the other side of the island, so we drove past and then we saw these helicopters and we thought there must have been a plane crash,’ he said. 

Some witnesses said the aircraft was seen moving from side to side before the left wing of the plane hit the water, Nine News reports.  

Pictures from the scene showed the front half of the small aircraft submerged into the water. 

Several parts of the plane were damaged following the collision. 

Rottnest Island, which is also known as Wadjemup, is a popular holiday spot in the summer months and attracts thousands of visitors.

WA Police Force Commissioner of Police Col Blanch (pictured) said first responders have deployed several resources to assist in the ongoing rescue effort

The island, which is also home to the world-famous marsupial quokkas, has a small airport and various companies offer flights to and from the mainland.

More to come.