CAIRNS, Australia – A light aircraft carrying nine adult passengers and a 14-year-old girl crashed off an island in the Great Barrier Reef. The plane overshot the only runway at Lizard Island, about 240km North of Cairns, colliding with trees and flipping at about 7:20 am on Monday. Two of the nine passengers received minor injuries during the crash, but miraculously were able to walk away from the wreck.
One adult sustained a minor head injury and another adult received a minor arm injury. Two rescue helicopters and the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) rushed to the secluded island to assess the situation and provide aid for those involved. The Acting Assistant Commissioner for the Queensland Ambulance Service, Brina Keating, expressed amazement at the lack of serious injuries, stating, “All were walking, they were able to get out of the aircraft.” She added, “To walk away from something like that is incredible.”
An investigation into how the crash occurred has been launched, but is already hampered because of the island’s inaccessibility. Lizard Island is a luxury holiday destination for the rich and famous, as it is home to an exclusive and secluded resort and numerous holiday homes. Visitors can reach the island, about 27km off the coast of the mainland, by taking an hour-long ‘scenic’ flight from Cairns. The resort’s website reveals that flights off the island take off daily at 12:25 pm and 3:25 pm, and private charters can also be arranged.
In summary, a light aircraft carrying nine adult passengers and a 14-year-old girl crashed off Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, with only minor injuries reported despite the severity of the crash. The incident has prompted an investigation amid the island’s inaccessibility, and has drawn attention to the exclusive and luxurious nature of Lizard Island as a holiday destination.