2023-08-28 21:58:26
Eight Marines are in hospital following three others were killed in their helicopter crash in Australia
Eight US Marines, one of whom is in intensive care, are receiving hospital treatment following a military plane crash in northern Australia that killed three of their colleagues, authorities said.
Twenty-three Marines were on board the Boeing MV-22B Osprey when it crashed on remote Melville Island Sunday morning during joint military exercises, AFP reported.
Northern Territory Premier Natasha Files said eight Marines were still receiving treatment, adding that she wanted to “reassure all their families that they are receiving the best possible care and we are making sure they are supported”.
The authorities began investigating the causes of the accident, and imposed a security cordon at the site.
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy told reporters the recovery process and investigative procedures would be “long and complex”, adding that officials expected to remain at the crash site for “at least 10 days”.
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy during a press conference in Darwin (AP)
He asserted that “absolutely everything” had been allocated in terms of resources.
He had told local media that the plane had hit land in “a dense wooded area”, but the presence of a nearby airstrip helped emergency teams in their initial efforts.
He added that being able to land close to the crash site allowed the injured to be treated faster and “may have saved some lives.”
Air traffic control operations from Darwin Airport following the crash included communications from the site of dark smoke and a “major fire”, but Murphy said he might not comment on what caused the Osprey to crash.
A woman rides a bicycle near the entrance to the Royal Darwin Hospital (AFP)
In turn, US President Joe Biden confirmed that he and his wife Jill express “our deep condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this fatal crash.” We pray for those who have been injured.”
The joint exercise, called “Predators Run”, was suspended on Sunday, but an Australian defense official told AFP it resumed on Monday morning.
But no exercises will be conducted on the group of tiny Tiwi islands that includes Melville, the site of the accident.
Northern Australia has become increasingly important in recent years as a platform for the US military, as the two allies seek to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marls told public broadcaster ABC Monday morning that American and Australian soldiers will feel the brunt of losing their comrades.
Police personnel load equipment onto a Northern Territory Police plane on the tarmac at Darwin International Airport (AFP)
“They are very close-knit communities,” he added.
The plane was participating in a series of joint exercises on combat maneuvers conducted by the US and Australian armies with the participation of thousands of soldiers, in addition to forces from other countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Osprey is capable of vertical take-off and landing, and has movable wings that can be directed upwards to give it the ability of the helicopter to maneuver or forward to fly horizontally as a regular plane.
This aircraft carries out tasks, most notably transportation, and it is one of the most prominent in the Navy and Marine Corps fleet.
However, its record in the field of navigational safety faced many questions in light of the many accidents it had been exposed to during the past years.
Last year, four Marines were killed in Norway when their V-22B Osprey crashed during NATO exercises.
Three Marines also died in 2017 when an Osprey plane crashed following it hit the back of a transport ship as it tried to land on a floating offshore platform off the northern coast of Australia.
In April 2000, 19 Marines were killed in a plane crash of this type during a training mission in the US state of Arizona.
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