27 September 2002
Crash investigators are expected on Hamilton Island in Queensland shortly to being their probe into the light plane tragedy that has killed an Auckland family.
A married couple and their two children died when the Piper Cherokee they were in crashed soon after takeoff.
They have been named as Aucklanders Kevin and Joanne Bowles, their daughter Sophie and son Michael and were killed when the aircraft crashed soon after taking off from Hamilton Island.
The pilot and an American tourist also died when the pilot lost control of the aircraft.
Investigators from the Air Transport Safety Bureau will be at the scene later this morning.
Queensland police spokeswoman Sergeant Julie Elliot says a special police unit will also arrive on the island this morning.
Aviation officials say the weather was fine and there is no obvious reason for the crash.
Hamilton Island is one of 74 tropical islands that lie between the Queensland Coast and the Great Barrier Reef.
It is the largest tourist facility in the Whitsundays, with six hotels providing 750 rooms and apartments. The resort is serviced by nearly 50 flights a week from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.
© 2002 NZCity, IRN