U.S. military aircraft crash in Australia claims lives of three marines

A statement by the Australian Defence Ministry states that a U.S. military plane carrying 23 individuals crashed on an island off the northern coast of Australia on August 26, DW reports.

As per a tweet from the U.S. Marine Corps on platform X (formerly known as Twitter), three U.S. Marines were confirmed to have lost their lives in the crash. Among the 23 passengers on board, five were airlifted in serious condition to the mainland city of Darwin for medical treatment. Notably, there were no reports of Australian military personnel being involved in the incident. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his sorrow over the "tragic" and "difficult" occurrence.

During a multinational military exercise that involved troops from Australia, the U.S., the Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste, a U.S. Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft, crashed.

Reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) indicate that several military personnel were rescued from the crash site on the Tiwi Islands, located north of Darwin. A spokesperson from Australia's Defence Ministry noted that "initial reports suggest the incident involves United States defense personnel and that Australian Defence Force members were not involved."

The mishap transpired on Melville Island, which is part of the Tiwi Islands, during the course of Exercise Predator's Run 2023. Positioned in the eastern Timor Sea, Melville Island is situated approximately 60km (37 miles) north of the Australian mainland.

Enhanced military collaboration The aircraft involved, the Osprey, is a tilt-rotor aircraft that incorporates characteristics of both helicopters and turboprop planes, as defined by the US Air Force. The United States and Australia have intensified their military cooperation in recent times, driven by concerns regarding China's escalating geopolitical assertiveness in the region.

It's worth mentioning that just last month, a helicopter crash took place off the coast of the northeastern state of Queensland during substantial bilateral exercises, leading to the unfortunate demise of four Australian soldiers.

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