3 Marines killed, 5 in serious condition after aircraft crash in Australia

2023-08-27T07:39:10.031Z

Three U.S. Marines were killed and five were in serious condition after an Osprey aircraft crashed in Australia during “routine” military exercises, the Marine Corps and authorities in the country said.

The aircraft was carrying 23 personnel when it crashed in a remote area of Melville Island, off the coast of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory, around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday local time, the Marine Rotational Force - Darwin said in a statement. The five seriously injured Marines were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for treatment.

The cause of the crash is unknown and will be investigated, the statement said.

The Marines were flying in support of Exercise Predator’s Run, a joint military exercise involving troops from Australia, the United States, and other countries, the force added.

Latest Information on the MV-22B Osprey Incident pic.twitter.com/OCeUJ6KwIe

— MRF-D (@MRFDarwin) August 27, 2023

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the crash “tragic,” Reuters reported.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said Sunday that the aircraft crashed in a remote area and no civilians were injured. She said an emergency response was underway to triage the victims of the crash and transport them to hospital.

“Australia and the U.S. are working together to respond to this incident,” she said.

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The police commissioner for the Northern Territory, Michael Murphy, said Melville Island has a long history of serving as a base for military exercises, and an emergency response was activated almost immediately.

The U.S. Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Sunday.