A U.S. military aircraft crashed on Melville Island, north of Darwin, in Australia's Northern Territory, with 23 U.S. Marines onboard. It is understood from the initial reports most of the personnel have survived, although several remain unaccounted for.
Update: 3 personnel confirmed dead, 5 injured, NT police say. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the crash as a “regrettable incident".
Care Flight transported three people to Royal Darwin Hospital. The Royal Flying Doctors Service and Medical Rescue have responded to the incident too.
The MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft went down on Sunday morning while participating in Exercise Predator's Run, the Northern Territory's largest Australian-led military exercise.
The exercise involves around 2,500 personnel—including 500 U.S. Marines, 120 soldiers from the Philippines Armed Forces, 120 Indonesian Defence Force members, and about 50 soldiers from East Timor’s Defence Force, with activities centered around Darwin Harbour and the Tiwi Islands.
The Marines onboard the Osprey were part of the Marine Rotational Force Darwin.
A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Defence confirmed the incident, stating that it occurred on the remote Melville Island, part of the Tiwi Islands.
"Initial reports suggest the incident involves United States defence personnel and that Australian Defence Force members were not involved," the spokesperson said.
"At this critical early stage, our focus is on the incident response and ensuring the safety of those involved."
"More information will be provided when appropriate," the spokesperson added.
This incident follows the tragic crash of an Australian Army helicopter earlier this month, which resulted in the loss of four lives
