One year after a devastating seaplane crash near Rottnest Island claimed three lives, the survivors have taken a significant step towards healing, publicly thanking their rescuers and unveiling a commemorative plaque.
A Moment of Gratitude and Remembrance
Jeremy and Patricia Connor, two of the four survivors from the January 2025 crash, joined first responders and officials at a gathering in East Fremantle to mark the sombre anniversary. For the first time, Mr Connor shared his harrowing experience of the accident and the immediate aftermath.
The Cessna 208 Caravan floatplane crashed during an attempted take-off from Thomson Bay on Rottnest Island. It hit a swell and quickly dove into the water. The pilot, 34-year-old James Wong, and two tourists, Torben Poulsen and Danielle Grundbacher-Mosching, tragically lost their lives.
"It happens instantaneously, you’re just there," Mr Connor recounted. "But the main point I wanted to make, as soon as we managed to get out of that plane, there’s people there. You don’t really think about what’s going on, you just go into response mode and then there’s these people there who help you do that."
Honouring the Heroes of the Day
The Connors emphasised that their gratitude extended beyond the official emergency services to the members of the public who raced to help. They unveiled a plaque they commissioned specifically to express their thanks.
"Obviously it’s a very tragic thing and given a choice, you wouldn’t be there, but it is what it is," Mr Connor said. "One of the good things that we can take out of it is to recognise the support that we got and the response we got and say thank to everybody."
While a permanent location is yet to be finalised, the couple expressed hope that the plaque would be placed near Thomson Bay or at the island's nurses' quarters, serving as a lasting tribute.
The other survivors were Hanna Esmee Duer, 58, the wife of the late Torben Poulsen, and Andreas Mosching, 63, the husband of Danielle Grundbacher-Mosching.
Investigation Ongoing into Crash Cause
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) continues its investigation into the precise causes of the Rottnest seaplane crash. An interim report released in mid-December 2025 revealed critical details about the flight's final moments.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell stated the pilot had chosen an easterly take-off, closer to shore, believing the swell was less severe than on the normal southerly track. The report also indicated the aircraft's stall warning horn may have been switched off to prevent false alarms prior to the accident.
"The aircraft accelerated along the water in a strong crosswind and a light tailwind, and as it passed Phillip Rock, it encountered sea swell and chop," Commissioner Mitchell said. The final report is anticipated in the second half of 2026.
For the Connors, the act of thanking those who helped has been a crucial part of finding closure. "That does a lot for us and, hopefully, does a lot for other people," Mr Connor said, marking a poignant close to a year of grief and recovery.
