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Four Britons are feared dead after a seaplane crashed near Sydney in Australia.

New South Wales police said divers had recovered six bodies from the scene and that an investigation was under way to identify the victims and determine the cause of the crash.

There were six people on board the plane, including the pilot, when it crashed into the Hawkesbury river near Cowan, north of Sydney, at about 3.10pm (0410 GMT) on Sunday, police said.

Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman said the “recovery operation continues” at the site where the single-engine aircraft crashed.

Unconfirmed reports said the casualties included an 11-year-old boy, the pilot and four Britons.Eyewitness Myles Baptiste told the broadcaster 9News that the plane was 500 metres from him when it hit the water.

“It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water,” he said.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau announced it would investigate the incident.

Local media said the aircraft was from scenic flight company Sydney Seaplanes. It was believed to have been travelling from the Cottage Point Inn to Rose Bay, a police spokesman said.

The company, which has been operating for 80 years, provides flights above and around some of Sydney’s most popular tourist sites including the opera house, the Harbour Bridge, Pittwater and the Hawkesbury river region.

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