What happened
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk I floatplane registered VH-OHU and operated by Whitsunday Air Services Pty Ltd was involved in a water landing incident near Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland. At approximately 08:45 am local time, the aircraft impacted the water during its landing approach and came to rest inverted.
The floatplane was carrying a pilot and four passengers. All five occupants were able to evacuate the inverted aircraft and were subsequently rescued by boat. Two individuals sustained minor injuries related to seatbelt restraints during the evacuation, but neither required hospitalization. The remaining occupants were unharmed.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has been notified of the occurrence and is gathering information to determine the contributing factors.