A US Army plane on Sunday, August 27, at 9:43 a.m., is said to have crashed in the Northern Territory. An evacuation effort is currently in progress since numerous passengers suffered injuries or missing. CareFlight delivered a total of three patients to Royal Darwin Hospital. The health of one of these individuals is serious.
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US Military Aircraft: The Osprey
The V-22 Osprey hauling about 20 US marines collapsed on the isolated Melville Island, a portion of the Tiwi Islands, and the Royal Flying Doctors Service and Medical Rescue rushed to the tragedy. The site is around 80 kilometres from Darwin’s shore. As of right moment, no fatalities have been reported from the area.
Numerous individuals have been saved by rescuers from the accident site. Responding to a Department of Defence source quoted by the Daily Mail, “Initial reports indicated that the accident concerns United States defence personnel and that Australian Defence Force members weren’t engaged. Our attention is on the situation’s investigation and protecting the security of individuals affected at this crucial early stage. When necessary, more details will be shared.”
The Predators Run, the biggest Australian-led military operation currently being conducted in the Territory, happened at the same time as the incident. 500 US Marines are among the 2,500 forces taking part in the drill. Along with Australian personnel, the forces from the Philippines, Indonesia, and East Timor are additionally involved in the situation. The Predators Run workouts have apparently been put on hold amid the incident.
Official Statements
The Northern Territory and the United States have a rich and strong history of warfare together, which has become deeper in the past few decades with the Marine Rotational Force deployed here, according to a comment made by the NT’s Chief Minister, Natasha Fyles, preceding the disaster. We treat our responsibility sincerely because the Northern Territory is strategically vital for the defence of our country along with that of our friends and neighbours.
In a bilateral announcement with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that the Australian Defence Force is supporting its counterparts in the United States through this challenging period. The press release read, “Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences are with those three US service members who sacrificed their lives in the accident, the ones who were seriously hurt, and the remainder of the crew, and ultimately the entire United States armed military.”
Ongoing Investigations
The chopper accident is the second fatal aviation event involving the Marine Corps in the span of a week. The Marine Corps has reported that Maj. Andrew Mettler died while flying a F/A-18D Hornet on Thursday night while practising close to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.
A Careflight helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft are additionally spotted, according to the aviation tracker’s Twitter account, which also noted that an RAAF C-130 has been hovering in the region for a while now.
Four members of the Australian Defence Force suffered fatal injuries last month when an MRH-90 Taipan went down in the water near Lindeman Island, close to Hamilton Island in north Queensland. Exercise Talisman Sabre, an international military drill including Australia, the US, and 11 other allies, had been taking place while the crew was there. Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Corporal Alexander Naggs, and Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Phillip Laycock were the individuals who perished in the collision.
In 2017, an MV-22 Osprey carrying 26 crew members dropped into the water off the Queensland coast in Shoalwater Bay, killing three US marines following a military training exercise.
