2023-08-27 05:13:13
A US military aircraft with 20 people on board has crashed in Australia during a training exercise. (Archyde.com)
A US military plane with about 20 people on board crashed this Sunday in the Tiví Islands, an archipelago north of Australia, while carrying out takeoff maneuvers.
The Australian Department of Defense confirmed that the Osprey plane was carrying US military personnel and that no Australian soldiers have been involved in the crash so far.
The Care Flight rescue service told the AFP news agency that three passengers were taken to Darwin hospital, one of them in critical condition and the other two stable.
“In this initial critical phase, our focus is on the response to the incident and ensuring the safety of those involved,” the defense authorities said in a statement.
Several people would have been rescued after the accident that occurred during an exercise near the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, according to Australian state television ABC.
The Australian Department of Defense confirmed that the Osprey plane was carrying US military personnel and that no Australian soldiers have been involved in the crash so far. (Archyde.com)
An incident map from the Northern Territory emergency services indicated that an “air crash” had occurred on Melville Island, located some 60 kilometers north of the Australian mainland in the East Timor Sea.
Northern Australia has become an increasingly important arena for the US military in recent years as the two allies seek to counter China in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ospreys are tilt-rotor aircraft that combine the characteristics of helicopters and turboprop aircraft, according to the US Air Force.
The aircraft has two rotary engines located in the fixed tips of the wings that allow it to land and take off vertically, but also travel much faster than a conventional helicopter.
The Osprey plane’s safety record has been repeatedly called into question after a series of deadly incidents.
In April 2000, 19 Marines were killed when an Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Arizona.
The Osprey plane’s safety record has been repeatedly called into question after a series of deadly incidents. (Archyde.com)
And three marines were killed in 2017 when such an aircraft crashed after brushing against the rear of a transport ship while trying to land in the sea off Australia’s north coast.
In July, four Australians were killed when their Taipan helicopter plunged into the sea during another series of multinational maneuvers near Queensland.
The Taipan was taking part in the major exercise Talisman Saber, which brought together 30,000 military personnel from Australia, the United States, and several other countries.
Crashed near the Whitsunday Islands while taking part in a night operation
(With information from AFP)
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