A light aircraft has crashed into the sea near Angurugu on Groote Eylandt, a remote island off Australia's northern coast, triggering a major emergency response. Emergency services received a report of the crash at approximately 11.40am on Tuesday. The number of people on board and their condition are not yet known.
Search and rescue underway
The Northern Territory Police Force said they are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash and the number of people involved. Emergency services are at the scene, with a search-and-rescue operation underway. Flight tracker data showed an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft circling the area, and CareFlight, which provides rapid-response critical care, has been sent to the scene.
Authorities are also working to confirm the aircraft's identity, route, occupants, and what happened in the stages leading up to the crash.
Remote destination
Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the eastern coast of Arnhem Land. Around 750,000 British visitors travel to Australia each year, though Groote Eylandt is a much more remote destination.
An NT spokesperson said: “Members are currently responding to the incident. Police are working to confirm the circumstances of the crash and the number of people involved. The response remains ongoing and further information will be provided as it becomes available.”
Previous incident
In 2023, a light aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Groote Eylandt Airport after experiencing engine problems. All six people on board survived, but three passengers were left with serious injuries. Groote Eylandt Airport is a very small regional airport and operates only a handful of passenger departures a day. Flights at the airport appeared to be taking off and departing as normal on Tuesday.
