A trip of a lifetime for three couples ended in tragedy this week after their seaplane plunged into the ocean off Rottnest Island, sending shockwaves around the world.

The pilot of a seaplane that plunged into the ocean off Rottnest Island shortly after take off, killing three people, is identified as James Wong.

James Wong, 34, and two foreign tourists — a 65-year-old Swiss woman and a 60-year-old Danish man, who were both on holiday with their respective partners — died when the Cessna 208 Caravan plunged nose-first into the water near Thomson Bay at Rottnest Island about 4pm.

A seaplane crashed during takeoff from an Australian tourist island, killing three people and injuring three others.

Premier Roger Cook has confirmed three bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of a seaplane which crashed off Rottnest Island on Tuesday.

A seaplane crash near Rottnest Island has left three people seriously injured and three others missing. The privately owned Cessna 208 struck a large rock before sinking. Rescue operations are ongoing,

A small seaplane ferrying European tourists plunged into the ocean off Western Australia killing three people on board, authorities said today. The plane c

A pilot killed along with two passengers in a sea plane crash off Rottnest Island on Tuesday has been identified as 34-year-old James Wong. Wong and two foreign tourists died when the Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft he was flying is understood to have struck the small outcrop of Phillip Rock near Thomson Bay as it took off about 4pm.

At least three people were killed after a small seaplane crashed during take-off from an Australian tourist island. The Cessna 208 Caravan plane crashed on Tuesday while leaving Rottnest Island, which is famous for its friendly marsupials called quokkas.

A seaplane crashed off Rottnest Island in Western Australia on Tuesday afternoon. At least three people have died and three others have been injured. Recovery efforts and investigations are ongoing. The cause of the accident is not yet known.