[1/2]A helicopter takes off following U.S. army aircraft crash in Darwin, Australia, August 27, 2023 in this display screen seize obtained from a handout video. AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION/through Reuters TV/Handout through REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights
SYDNEY, Aug 27 (Reuters) – Three U.S. Marines died in an aircraft crash off the coast of northern Australia on Sunday whereas transporting troops during a routine army train, officers mentioned.
Five others have been “transported to Royal Darwin Hospital in serious condition”, Marine Rotation Force – Darwin mentioned in a press launch.
They have been amongst 23 Marines on the MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft when it crashed, the assertion mentioned, including the reason for the crash was being investigated.
The crash occurred on the distant Tiwi Islands at roughly 9.30 a.m. (0130 GMT), the assertion mentioned.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese referred to as the incident “tragic”, saying the Osprey was supporting the Exercise Predators Run 2023 army train. No Australian personnel weren’t concerned in the crash, he mentioned.
“Our focus as a government and as a department of defence is very much on incident response and on making sure that every support and assistance is given at this difficult time,” the prime minister advised a beforehand scheduled press convention in Western Australia.
About 2,500 personnel from Australia, the U.S., the Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor have been participating in the exercises.
The U.S. and Australia, a key ally in the Pacific, have been stepping up army cooperation in current years in the face of an more and more assertive China.
“Australian and US personnel have stood shoulder to shoulder for more than a century,” Albanese and the Defence Minister Richard Marles mentioned in a press release.
“This incident is a reminder of the significance of the service undertaken by our personnel and those of our partner nations.”
Four Australian troopers have been killed final month during massive bilateral exercises when their helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Queensland.
Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard
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