A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday as a United States Marine Corps aircraft crashed on a northern Australian island during a multi-nation training exercise. The crash resulted in the loss of three Marines’ lives and injuries sustained by 20 others, according to official statements. The accident occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time on Melville Island, where the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft was operating, Associated Press reported.
Of the 23 individuals aboard the aircraft, five were flown 80 kilometers to the mainland city of Darwin for urgent hospital treatment due to the severity of their injuries. Recovery efforts were underway to bring the remaining injured individuals back from the remote crash site. While the details surrounding the cause of the crash remained under investigation, the United States Marine Corps released a statement confirming the ongoing recovery operations.
This collaborative training venture involved the military forces of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and East Timor. The ill-fated Osprey was part of the exercise, which centred on the Tiwi Islands and Darwin, with a collective participation of 2,500 troops.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the incident solely involved personnel from the United States defence force. He expressed condolences and emphasised the government’s commitment to providing comprehensive support during this challenging time.
Melville is part of the Tiwi Islands, which along with Darwin are the focus of the exercise that involves 2,500 troops. The Osprey that crashed was one of two that had flown from Darwin to Melville on Sunday, Murphy said.
Around 150 U.S. Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city every year. The U.S. military was also taking part in a mulitnation military exercise in July when four Australia personnel were killed in an army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash off the northeast Australian coast.