Mum and son speak after surviving plane landing in ocean

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A mother and son who survived a spectacular plane landing in the ocean off Western Australia have revealed how the drama unfolded.

Michelle Yeates, 45, and her 15-year-old son Jacob were flying to Jandakot Airport, after watching the eclipse in Carnarvon, when their plane’s engine failed.

Yeates was forced to land the plane in the ocean as it started going down just five minutes from their destination.

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“The engine just sort of lost power, it just sort of went ‘nyrrrr’ and I just immediately thought, wow that is not right,” Yeates said.

“My brain just literally went, ‘okay, right, this is what we’re gonna do’ and I was like a robot, I was just going through the motions.

“If you panic under a situation like that you’ve just got no chance.”

While Yeates was landing the Piper Aircraft, her son sprung into action and unlatched the doors, making sure the pair had an escape route once the plane hit the water.

“I was pushing open the door but also holding onto the roof so I didn’t hit my head or anything.”

Yeates managed to manoeuvre the plane safely with the help of air traffic control.

“I wanted to land on the beach but there were people everywhere … so I thought that’s obviously not a good idea,” she said.

“While we were standing on the wing and the plane was going down I remember thinking my knees are shaking, they won’t stop shaking”

Despite the scare, the pair said the incident won’t stop them from flying again.

“Probably one of those get back on the horse situations where I should get back up and fly again,” Yeates said.

The plane has now been removed from the ocean.