What happened
The aircraft was operating a mission to Salamaua with a cargo of radio equipment. At the time of the incident, it was flying in formation with a second Royal Australian Air Force Catalina, registered A24-8. As the plane approached its destination, it came under attack from a Japanese fighter and was subsequently shot down. The aircraft crashed into the ocean just a few hundred yards offshore.
Of the nine personnel on board, one crew member survived the crash, while eight others were killed. The victims included the pilot, co-pilot, wireless operators, flight engineers, an armourer, and a rigger from the 11th Squadron.