What happened
The incident involved a floatplane operating out of Singapore-Seletar Airport. The aircraft had departed on a routine maritime patrol mission when it encountered hostile action approximately 300 kilometers from the coast. During this phase of the flight, the plane was engaged by a Japanese fighter and subsequently shot down.
Following the loss of control, the aircraft crashed into the ocean and immediately burst into flames. Despite the severity of the impact and the fire, all nine crew members survived the initial crash. The survivors were not recovered immediately but were rescued the following morning. They were then transported back to Singapore-Seletar Airport.
The airframe itself was not recovered; it sank beneath the surface after the crash and was declared lost.