Survivors of Rottnest Island seaplane crash break silence to reveal pilot James Wong’s ‘critical’ final act that saved their lives

A couple who survived a seaplane crash that claimed three lives received a safety message from the pilot shortly before he died.

The plane with six passengers and the pilot on board struck the water shortly after take-off and sank last Tuesday near the popular holiday destination Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth.

Perth pilot James Wong, 34, a 65-year-old Swiss woman and a 60-year-old Danish man, who were both passengers, died.

The four other passengers, a 63-year-old Swiss man, a 58-year-old Danish woman and West Australians Jeremy and Patricia Connor, aged 63 and 65, survived.

The Connors broke their silence on the crash on Tuesday with a statement to those involved in the tragic incident.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to our fellow passengers, their families and friends,” the statement said.

‘We will be eternally grateful that we and others reached safety.

“We know it could have been an even more tragic outcome and we sincerely hope that everyone can overcome what happened and heal as time passes.”

Pilot James Wong, 34, (pictured), along with a 65-year-old Swiss woman and a 60-year-old Danish man, who were both passengers, died in the crash

The plane had seven people on board when it struck the water and sank near Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, last Tuesday. The photo shows the plane wreckage being recovered

The couple added that their thoughts and deepest condolences went out to Mr Wong’s family, friends and colleagues.

“We will never forget and will always be grateful that his demonstration of how to open the emergency exit was a crucial factor in our survival,” she added.

The Connors thanked the people who helped rescue them from the water in Thompson Bay on Rottnest Island and the medical staff who cared for them before they were airlifted to a hospital on the mainland.

The couple also acknowledged the surgical and nursing staff at the Perth hospital who treated their injuries, and police and Australian Transport Safety Bureau staff who investigated the incident.

Jeremy and Patricia Connor, aged 63 and 65, who both survived a fatal seaplane crash, have thanked the first responders who saved their lives

“All of you, without exception, have been outstanding and you have provided an incredibly generous and professional response that has made a huge difference and means so much to us,” the Connors said.

The agency recovered the seaplane from the ocean floor and is investigating the cause of the crash.

It hopes to publish a preliminary report on the cause of the crash within two months.

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