Seven survive Queensland plane crash

Seven people involved in a skydiving jump have survived a light plane crash in
central Queensland.
The Cessna 206 plane was experiencing engine troubles upon take-off before it
crashed near the Gladstone Airport around 11am (AEST) on Thursday.
Local company Adrenaline Skydivers was using the plane at the time of the crash.
A father and two sons, three tandem jump masters and a pilot were onboard,
Adrenaline Skydivers told AAP.
Six men were transported to Gladstone hospital with non-life threatening injuries
while the seventh was believed to be unhurt.
A hospital spokeswoman said five have since been discharged after undergoing
examinations while one has been admitted in but is in a stable condition.
A privately owned helicopter put on hold its usual duties of flying tourists to
Heron Island to search for the fallen plane and retrieve the passengers.
"It was certainly an unexpected variation to the day of normal tourist operations,"
Australian Helicopters pilot Troy Webb said.
"I was just glad we could find the crash site quickly and that the only injuries to
the passengers were minor."
A mother of two of the passengers told the Gladstone Observer newspaper that she was
relieved to see her sons and husband return unscathed.
"I thought it was a joke when they told me about the plane crashing," she said.