Normanton, Queensland: Pilot’s body recovered from croc-infested crash site

The pilot of the charter plane, which crashed shortly after takeoff, was found dead after police reached the wreckage.

Machjet International’s Beechcraft King Air plane crashed into a flooded swamp near the Queensland outback town of Normanton around 8pm on Saturday evening.

According to the Queensland Police Service, emergency services called to the scene were unable to reach the wreckage by vehicle or boat due to the conditions.

Officers found the plane on foot early Sunday morning, about a half-mile from the airport, and retrieved the body of a deceased man.

He is believed to be a 32-year-old Clifton Beach man who was the pilot and sole occupant of the plane.

Police said a report will be prepared for the coroner and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ASTB) is investigating.

On Saturday, the ATSB said investigators were preparing to attend the crash scene.

“The ATSB is asking anyone who witnessed the crash, including earwitnesses, or who has video footage at any stage of the aircraft’s flight to make contact,” the bureau said.

Normanton has a population of approximately 1300 people and is located along the coast near the Gulf of Carpentaria.