Three US marines killed after military aircraft crashes off Darwin coast

Three US marines were killed in an aircraft crash off the Northern Territory coast on Sunday in the second fatal military incident in Australia in less than a month.

The Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, carrying 23 Americans, was involved in the Territory’s largest Australian-led exercise, Predator’s Run, when it crashed and burst into flames at 9.43am on Sunday.

The personnel, based with Marine Rotational Force Darwin, were flying over Melville Island, a part of the Tiwi Islands, 60km north of the Territory capital.

A statement from the marines confirmed three people had died in the crash, while five others were transported to Royal Darwin Hospital in serious condition.

“Recovery efforts are ongoing. The cause of the incident is under investigation,” the statement said.

In a recording of the emergency call made after the crash, a US man can be heard telling the operator there was “significant fire in the vicinity of the crash site”, but that it looked like it was “not spreading”.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed Royal Darwin Hospital had activated a code brown, the highest emergency response that can be activated at an Australian hospital.

Darwin’s private hospitals were also placed on alert.

One marine is understood to have been rushed into emergency surgery with four more being treated for serious injuries. Those who had less serious injuries were triaged on the island.

Ms Fyles said on Sunday the immediate focus had been on getting the injured to hospital for treatment.

“We acknowledge that this is a terrible incident,” she said

She said three operating theatres had been cleared as well as several wards as the hospital prepared to receive the dozens of injured marines. “Some people are critically injured, and so we’re focused on making sure that they get that level of care that they need,” she said.

Ms Fyles said the site on Melville Island had been secured, and she was in contact with the US consul to assure them the NT’s resources were fully focused on the response. Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said an emergency operation centre set up to tackle fires in the Territory had been redeployed to the crash site.

“We are working closely with the Australian Defence Force, the US Marine Corp and other agencies such as Careflight to rescue and return those injured personnel to Darwin,” he told reporters on Sunday.

The national critical care and trauma response team had been deployed and was triaging patients at the crash site before they are transported.

“We are doing everything we can to return them safely back to Darwin for treatment,” Mr Murphy said, adding the area where the crash occurred is remote, making moving the injured to hospitals difficult.

The Australian Department of Defence said that the incident occurred during Exercise Predator’s Run 2023 — a joint exercise with five nations.

“Initial reports suggest the incident involves United States defence personnel and that Australian Defence Force members were not involved,” a spokesperson said. “At this critical early stage, our focus is on the incident response and ensuring the safety of those involved.”

In a joint statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia’s thoughts and deepest condolences were with the three US service personnel who lost their lives and those who had been injured.

“Australian and US personnel have stood shoulder to shoulder for more than a century. Our alliance is built upon these enduring links and our shared values,” they said.

“This incident is a reminder of the significance of theservice undertaken by our personnel and those of our partner nations. Australia will continue to provide assistance to our friends for as long as is required.”

The military exercise involves around 2500 soldiers, including approximately 500 US Marines, 120 soldiers from the Philippines, 120 from Indonesia and about 50 from Timor-Leste.

It is understood it has been temporarily halted as rescue operations are in progress.

On the ADF website, it says the Marine Rotational Force Darwin is “a continuation of a relationship that has existed since the MRF-D’s parent unit, the First Marine Division, trained in Melbourne following the Guadalcanal campaign in WWII leading to the marines adopting Waltzing Matilda as their battle hymn”.

The crash comes less than a month after an Australian Taipan helicopter crashed off the Queensland coast during exercises, killing four ADF personnel.

Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock, and Corporal Alexander Naggs all died when the helicopter crashed near Lindeman Island in July.