After being engaged in a “severe” watercraft accident, seaplanes were utilized to remove a party of wounded visitors from a well-known outback tourist site.
The’major event’ occurred just after 8.30 a.m. on Friday morning near Horizontal Falls in Western Australia’s Kimberley area, 250 kilometers east of Broome.
Hours afterwards, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures issued a statement stating that the injuries happened when the boat attempted to navigate the churning rapids.
‘Falls Express, guided by an experienced skipper during an early-morning tour, was involved in the incident while travelling through the falls,’ the statement said.
‘The vessel immediately returned to the pontoon.’
A Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures plane was spotted landing at Broome Airport on Friday afternoon, where up to 15 people, some wrapped in bandages, were met by health staff.
There were 26 passengers and two crew on the boat when the vessel got into trouble.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service said it had helped more than 20 patients injured in the incident with four planes rushing to the scene.
The passengers with minor injuries were already airlifted and taken to Broome Hospital for treatment.
The further 12 patients ‘with more serious injuries’ were transferred to Perth.
Local helicopter services were providing assistance to winch some patients to safety.
Earlier, a WA Country Health Service spokeswoman described it as a ‘serious’ incident and said a major medical response was underway.
‘Kimberley Hospitals are on stand-by and Broome Health Campus has activated an emergency alert in anticipation of patient arrivals – the first of which are expected within the hour,’ the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
In an update just after 1pm local time, WA Police said it was still dealing with the incident ‘but no injuries are believed to be life threatening’.
The ocean phenomenon is home to some of the highest tides in the world, creating what’s been dubbed a ‘horizontal waterfall’.
Thousands of litres of water gush through the narrow gap in Talbot Bay, triggered by the region’s king tides, which sometimes fluctuate up to 10m a day.
Tourists are able to experience the falls a number of ways, with local tourism operators offering jet boat tours that speed through the dangerous rapids.
Seaplane and helicopter tours also operate in the area, allowing people to witness the raging water from the air.
Western Australia Police said it was responding to the incident after receiving reports ‘several people on board were injured’.
The Royal Flying Doctors’ Service has also been called in to assist and regional medical centres are on standby.
Broome Hospital has also been put on ‘brown alert’, an order that means it must be ready for an influx of patients.