A military helicopter crash during exercises in Australia has resulted in the devastating loss of three US marines, while an additional 20 have been left injured. The MV-22B Osprey, en route to the remote Tiwi islands north of Darwin, tragically crashed. Among the injured, five marines are reported to be in a serious condition.
The incident occurred during “Predators Run,” a large-scale exercise involving 2,500 troops from the United States, Australia, the Philippines, East Timor, and Indonesia. It’s important to note that only US personnel were aboard the aircraft.
The crash unfolded on Melville Island, located north of the Northern Territory’s capital, Darwin, on a somber Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his condolences, labeling the incident as tragic. He assured that the injured would receive all the support necessary.
According to Michael Murphy, the local police commissioner, “Five marines have been returned to Darwin for treatment with the remaining being triaged at the scene.” In response to the catastrophe, additional police and defense personnel were dispatched to Melville Island to provide aid, attend to the injured, and uphold the crash scene while investigations are conducted.
Disturbingly, this isn’t the first fatal helicopter crash during joint exercises in northern Australia recently. A mere month prior, on July 29, four Australian soldiers were presumed dead following the crash of their 45 MRH-90 Taipan off the coast of Queensland during Exercise Talisman Sabre. This exercise is recognized as the largest bilateral military training activity between Australia and the US.
The MV-22B Osprey, though an innovative hybrid combining helicopter and turbo-prop plane attributes, has encountered its fair share of difficulties. Last year, a fatal crash in Norway resulted in the loss of four marines. Additionally, in 2017, three lives were claimed when an Osprey aircraft collided with the back of a transport ship off the northern coast of Australia.
