By ALANA MITCHELSON
Police have confirmed three people are dead after a light plane crashed into water off the Bellarine peninsula.
Police said the airplane took off from Moorabbin Airport and impacted the water about two kilometres from the coastline off Collendina Beach between Barwon Heads and Point Lonsdale at about 12.30pm on Friday.
Three bodies have been located, “believed to be two men and a woman”, and police are looking for a fourth body confirmed to have been on the plane. No victims were children.
Local area commander inspector Graham Banks said a fisherman witnessed the crash.
“He called police shortly thereafter. He was in a boat, and he went out and observed that clearly a plane had impacted the water and dispersed over a wide area, and there were three persons that were clearly deceased at that time,” Insp Banks said.
“That witness is extremely distressed.”
Two coast guard vessels are “incredibly busy” searching through debris and two air ambulance helicopters have been dispatched to the scene.
Police are in the process of identifying the victims and speaking to their next of kin.
“Police and emergency services are currently at the scene of an incident near Barwon Heads where a plane has gone into the water,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
“The cause is not yet known and we will provide further details once they come to hand.”
The passengers included a 68-year-old Noble Park man, a 63-year-old Black Rock woman, a 65-year-old Black Rock man and a 55-year-old Mordialloc man.
Police said they had spoken to one witness and a second has come forward. They encouraged others with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
