The grieving partner of a pilot who died when his seaplane carrying six passengers crashed into the ocean has opened up about his “sudden, unexpected and devastating” death.
James Wong, 34, was flying the Cessna 208 Caravan plane when it plunged into the water near Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth shortly after take-off on Tuesday afternoon.
The Perth pilot and two international tourists – Danielle Grundbacher-Mosching, 65, from Switzerland and Torben Poulsen, 60, from Denmark – died in the crash witnessed by dozens of shocked beachgoers.
Their bodies were pulled from the rubble eight meters below the water’s surface hours later.
Three of the four other surviving passengers suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to hospital, where they remain in a stable condition. The other passenger was unharmed.
Wong’s devastated partner and colleague Angela Cloeraine broke her silence on Thursday to pay tribute.
“He was known for his love of adventure, his exceptional knowledge on every subject, and his passion for seaplanes, a self-proclaimed ‘tragic seaplane,'” he wrote in a GoFundMe page he created to support his family.
‘His signature skinny jeans and peace signs will never be forgotten.
Angela Cloeraine (pictured left) has paid tribute to her partner James Wong (right) after he died in a horror seaplane crash off Rottnest Island.
‘James’ loss was sudden, unexpected and devastating.
“Accordingly, we hope to raise funds to support his family and loved ones as they navigate this treacherous time.”
The fundraiser reached its initial goal of $30,000 within hours.
Originally from Frenchs Forest on Sydney’s northern beaches, Wong was an experienced pilot, according to his LinkedIn bio.
He began his aviation career working as a line pilot for Air Fraser Island in Hervey Bay in 2019 before moving on to work for several scenic flight operators in North Queensland.
He later moved to WA and joined Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, in the Kimberley region, in March 2023 before heading to Perth to work for Swan River Seaplanes.
His partner, Mrs Cloeraine, also works as a pilot for Swan River Seaplanes.
A former co-worker described Mr Wong’s death as “devastating news for the seaplane community”.
‘Rest easy, James. “It was a pleasure to have met you and to have flown with you,” he wrote.
The heartbreaking tributes come as a long and thorough investigation into the horror accident began.
James Wong’s signature skinny jeans and peace signs will never be forgotten, his partner wrote.
Cloeraine (left) paid tribute to her partner’s (right) love of adventure and passion for seaplanes
The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau (ATSB) has begun the recovery and examination of wreckage from the crash site.
It is estimated that it will take months to understand the cause of the accident.
Bureau investigators are working to recover recording devices from the plane involving flight tracking, engine performance data and any other devices on board.
What remains of the plane can be clearly seen in the crystal clear waters of Thomson Bay as it rests anguishedly on the sea floor.
Once the on-site examination is complete, the remains will be taken to a Perth facility for further scrutiny.
“During this time, investigators will identify and secure any relevant components for further analysis at the ATSB laboratory facility in Canberra,” the bureau’s chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, said.
“We also continue to seek reports from witnesses, particularly anyone who may have images of the aircraft at any stage of the accident sequence, or immediately afterwards.”
The heartfelt tributes from friends and loved ones come as a long and thorough investigation into the horror crash began (pictured, the wreckage of the plane pulled from the sea on Wednesday).
If investigators discover a critical safety issue during their seaplane investigation, the office will notify relevant stakeholders, Mitchell added.
The vision will not only be part of the complex investigation, but will also examine engine passage, aircraft history, maintenance, weather and standard operations over Rottnest Island.
“There’s a whole host of things to put together to give us a better idea of that flight sequence and then what went wrong,” Mitchell said.
“That will take us time to analyze all the evidence.”
He said that once investigators had all the evidence, which could take many weeks, they would begin hypothesizing the cause of the crash and that there could be multiple possible scenarios.
The ATSB has begun recovery and examination of wreckage from the crash site and it will take time for the bureau to determine what may have caused the crash (pictured, the floatplane submerged in the water in Thompson Bay).
“That takes us some time,” Mr. Mitchell said.
“We need to get these things right if we want to make recommendations that have far-reaching effects.”
He hopes that within two months there will be a preliminary report.
Swan River Seaplanes praised Mr Wong as a highly valued employee.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of James, a talented and dedicated pilot who was an integral and deeply loved member of our team,” director Kristy Bailey said in a statement.
‘Our hearts and thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
“We are equally devastated by the injuries and loss of the two passengers on board, and extend our deepest condolences to their families and all those mourning this unimaginable tragedy.”
The company suspended its operations after the tragedy.
“The authorities and experts will advise us on any action we need to take,” Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said.
‘We have not received any advice at this time to suggest that (Swan River seaplanes) needs to be suspended, although I will note that that is a moot point at the moment because the site at Thomson Bay is being investigated… and Swan River Seaplanes has suspended all its services out of respect for the incident.’
Survivors include a 63-year-old Swiss man, a 63-year-old Western Australian man, a 65-year-old Western Australian woman and a 58-year-old Danish woman.
A 200m exclusion zone has been established while investigations and rescue operations continue.
Some remains of the seaplane that broke up during the accident have been brought ashore.