Passengers in 'shock' after seaplane crashes in Sydney Harbour

A passenger is injured and police are investigating after a seaplane crashed off Shark Island in Sydney Harbour earlier today.

Emergency services were called to the scene after 11.45am over reports the aircraft had crashed into the water.

Police said they were told one of the pontoons had suffered damage and fell off, causing the crash.

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There were eight passengers on the aircraft who were able to evacuate on a boat.

One of the passengers suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

The full extent of damage to the aircraft is unknown.

Sydney Seaplanes director Aaron Shaw, whose company owns the aircraft, said the pilot was taking off from the water when it hit something.

"It's damaged the float, he's discontinued the takeoff, the passengers have been removed from the plane," he said.

"It's the sort of thing that happens at airports frequently.

"It's something we will take seriously."

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The passengers said they were in "shock" but praised the pilot's quick-thinking and professionalism.

"I was sat at the front right next to the pilot. He tried to take off, we thought we'd actually taken off and then he just landed with quite a jolt," one passenger said.

"I think it crushed one side of the plane and he quickly asked me to get out of the passenger side."

"It bounced, bounced, bounced, and then boom. Next thing, the plane just went to one side," another said.

"We were all a bit shocked," a third said.

Vision from the scene showed one of the plane's wings angled into the water, before it was later pulled ashore on nearby rocks.

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Police were on scene and will investigate the incident.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is gathering details on the incident and will decide whether to investigate based on that information.

The bureau had previously investigated Sydney Seaplanes when one of its aircraft was involved in a fatal crash on New Year's Eve in 2017.

In that incident, the plane left Cottage Point Inn for Rose Bay when it crashed into Jerusalem Bay, on the outskirts of Sydney, killing all five passengers and the pilot.