A seaplane crashed off an Australian island into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday afternoon.

Three people died in the accident out of seven onboard including the pilot, according to Australian media.

The incident unfolded in an attempt of take off from Thompson Bay on the western side of Rottnest Island, suggested local media.

Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch expressed gratitude to the public who rushed to the scene to assist in the incident's aftermath. Investigations into the cause of the crash are currently underway as authorities work to determine what led to the fatal accident.

Three bodies were recovered from the wreckage on Tuesday night. The deceased included a 65-year-old Swiss woman, another 60-year-old passenger from Denmark, and the pilot, a resident of Perth.

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