CANBERRA, Australia — A US Marine Corps plane crashed on a northern Australian island on Sunday, killing three Marines and wounding 20 during a multinational training exercise, officials said.
Three had been confirmed dead on Melville Island and five of the 23 on board were flown in serious condition 50 miles to the mainland city of Darwin for hospital treatment after the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft crashed around 9:30 a.m. local time. said a statement from the Marines.
“Recovery efforts are ongoing,” the statement said, adding that the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Helicopters and planes had been deployed to return from the remote location with the rest of the injured, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said.
One of the injured was undergoing surgery at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said some six hours after the crash.
Some were seriously injured and were being treated on arrival at Darwin airport, he said.
A Care Flight helicopter is seen on the runway of Darwin International Airport in Darwin on August 27, 2023, as rescue work is carried out to transport the injured in the crash of a US military plane Osprey on a remote island north of the mainland of Australia. AFP via Getty Images
An ambulance parked in front of a helicopter used during the rescue mission of the downed Marine helicopter.AP
“We recognize that this is a terrible incident,” Fyles said. “The Northern Territory government stands ready to offer whatever assistance is required.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said only Americans were injured in the accident when it occurred during the Predators Run exercise involving the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.
“Initial reports suggest that the incident involves only US defense forces personnel,” Albanese said.
“Our focus as a government and as a department of defense is primarily on incident response and making sure full support and assistance is provided at this difficult time,” he added.
Paramedics push a stretcher on the runway in Darwin, Australia, August 27 via REUTERS.
The Royal Darwin Hospital Emergency Trauma Centre, where five of the injured Marines were airlifted after the crash. AFP via Getty Images
Melville is part of the Tiwi Islands, which together with Darwin are the focus of the exercise involving 2,500 soldiers.
The Osprey that crashed was one of two that had flown from Darwin to Melville on Sunday, Murphy said.
Around 150 US Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city each year.
The US military was also participating in a multinational military exercise in July when four Australian personnel were killed in an MRH-90 Taipan military helicopter crash off the northeast coast of Australia.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn