Three American marines died in the crash of a helicopter off northern Australia on Sunday morning (27). The aircraft was taking part in a military exercise in the Melville Island region. Around 20 soldiers were rescued alive at sea.
RFI
Three US Marines died when their Osprey, a hybrid vertical take-off aircraft, crashed on Sunday on a remote island north of the Australian mainland, according to the US Navy.
“There were a total of 23 people on board. Three died and five others, injured and in serious condition, were transported to the Royal Darwin Hospital,” the official statement said.
The aircraft was taking part in joint maneuvers between the US Army and Australia in a series called Predators Run.
The crash, which happened in the morning, started a complicated rescue operation in the area of the sparsely populated Melville Island, about 60 kilometers north of the Australian mainland.
“Rescue operations are continuing,” the US authorities said, adding that an investigation was underway to determine the causes of the accident.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “tragic” and “regrettable”.
In recent years, the US military presence north of Australia has increased due to tension caused by China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
History of the aircraft
The Osprey aircraft, the result of American cooperation between the US Air Force and the Australian Air Force, has been the subject of controversy. Its safety has been questioned following several fatal accidents.
The Osprey aircraft, the result of an American collaboration between aircraft manufacturer Boeing and helicopter specialist Bell, have two engines at the end of the wings, which rotate to switch to helicopter mode during take-off or to airplane mode for faster flight.
Last year, four US Marines died in Norway when the V-22B Osprey crashed during NATO training exercises.
In 2017, a US Army Osprey crashed into the sea after hitting the stern of a ship as part of a US-Australian military exercise, killing three people.
In April 2000, 19 marines died when an Osprey crashed during training in Arizona.
(With information from Reuters and AFP)