SYDNEY (XINHUA) – Two former military planes on a training flight collided yesterday over the Mornington Peninsula in southeast Australia, sending one plummeting into the water, local media reported.
One plane crashed into the ocean about 12 kilometres (km) off the coast of Mount Martha while the other plane made it back to its base after the disaster struck about 1.45pm, The Herald Sun reported.
Search and rescue crews were scouring the waters in Mount Martha, located about 50km southeast of Melbourne.
Australia’s maritime authorities confirmed two people were on board each of the Viper S-211 Marchetti light aircraft.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) “understands there were two people on board each aircraft: one aircraft landed safely at Essendon airfield, while the other crashed into the water in Port Phillip”, it said.
Three AMSA rescue helicopters remained at the scene late into the afternoon and police boats, coastguard and jet skis were seen in the waters, according to ABC News.
