Australian officials say a seaplane crashed during a 20-minute entertainment ride in Sydney on New Year’s Eve, killing six people.
Five of the victims were British nationals, including the CEO of Compass Group Plc Richard Cousins, his two sons, fiancée and her daughter were among the victims.
The pilot also died in the crash.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered his condolences to the crash victims’ families.
Compass Chairman Paul Walsh expressed condolences to the family in a statement Monday, adding that “Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain’s leading companies.”
Compass Group Plc is the world’s biggest catering firm.
Cousins, who led Compass over the past 11 years and was due to step down in March, had been named as one of the world’s best-performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review.
Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13 meters of water near Cowan, north of Sydney.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has begun, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days.
The aircraft belonged to Sydney Seaplanes, which has been offering passengers the chance to see some of Sydney’s most popular sights for 80 years, according to the company’s website.
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