Three people have been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Victoria.
The chopper plunged into the water at Point Lonsdale, near Geelong on the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, just after 10am on Friday.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after multiple calls to Triple Zero at 10.10am.
Firefighters arrived on scene in two minutes to find a light aircraft impacted in water 30-50metres from the shoreline, Fire Rescue Victoria said in a statement.
Crews worked in collaboration with Surf Life Saving and Ambulance Victoria to extricate three people from the water and bring them to safety to receive treatment.
All three passengers made it to the shore.
A man in his 50s and woman in her 40s, who are yet to be identified, were airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Both are in a stable condition.
A second man, also in his 50s, was taken by road to Geelong University Hospital in a stable condition.
Wreckage from the helicopter is seen in aerial footage of the crash site on Friday
Police confirmed the chopper crashed just after 10am, with multiple Triple Zero calls made
Aerial footage of the crash site shows wreckage from the chopper.
A local told Geelong Advertiser she was walking along Point Lonsdale beach when she heard a loud bang but couldnt see what had happened.
A hero jogger said he spotted the pilot waving from the ocean and jumped into the water where he pulled the woman from the helicopter.
They were flying low over the ocean and then crashed just off the shore, he said.
Its really sad, they werent in a good way. The passengers were in shock and couldnt walk. The pilot could walk but seemed beat up.
The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the crash with police.
Police have urged anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or information to contact Crime Stoppers.
