Posted on 08/27/2023 12:56:02 AM PDT by naturalman1975
Three US marines have been killed in a horror helicopter crash during military exercises in northern Australia, with five others in a serious condition.
The Boeing MV-22B Osprey, with 23 people on board, went down on Melville Island in the Tiwi Islands at 9.43am local time on Sunday.
Five marines were flown from the scene to Royal Darwin Hospital, arriving just before 3pm local time, with the other 18 treated at the site of the crash.
'Recovery efforts are ongoing,' the Marine Rotational Force Darwin said. 'The cause of the incident is under investigation.
'Further details will be provided as the situation develops.'
Speaking from Western Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Government's focus is on 'incident response and on making sure that every support and assistance is given at this difficult time'.
'We do follow protocols at a time like this, and the Australian Defence Force are cooperating with our friends in the United States Defence Force.'
'Obviously this is a regrettable incident.'
The Royal Flying Doctors Service, Medical Rescue and the NT police have also responded to the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Prayers for the Marines and their families.
Another article states three injured, one critically and two in stable condition, no fatalities. Hope this is the more accurate account.
Unfortunately, Australian media is reporting three dead from multiple sources at this point. Most are behind paywalls, so I can’t easily share them.
maybe they should look into the safety of ospreys...
There have been special concerns reported with that aircraft for many years yet nothing seems to get done about it.
There are times when self restraint by the media to delay any reporting would be appropriate to give the services time to notify the next of kin. We had some close friends who lost their son in Afghanistan. They saw a car park and two marines in full dress uniform get out. They knew immediately what it meant, worst moment of thei lives. Thankfully there had been no advance news reports. Horrible time, but avoided unknown hours of agony waiting for the messenger’s arrival.
Now there are a lot of families waiting on pins and needles that can’t rest until they hear their soldier’s voice or the full news report naming the dead. Horrible.
No fatalities were announced for at least six hours after the accident, at least five hours after rescue personnel arrived on scene. I’m hoping that was to allow time for family members to be properly informed.
The Osprey has a record of crashing.
Helicopters are maintanance-intensive. Tilt-rotors much more so. LOTS of very high-pressure hydraulics.
US military aircraft carrying more than 20 Marines crashes over Australia, killing 3 and injuring others
It’s a great concept. But, the technology isn’t ready for what it’s required to do.
Time to permanently ground them.
Three US marines killed, five in hospital, after Osprey aircraft crash on Melville Island
Authorities have confirmed three US marines have died in an aircraft crash on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, as recovery efforts continue.
Five were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a serious condition.
The recovery efforts are ongoing.
“Those injured are 23 US Marine Corps [personnel] and we are doing everything we can to return them safely back to Darwin for treatment,” NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said.
“Five marines have been returned to Darwin for treatment with the remaining being triaged at the scene.
“Additional police and defence personnel have been deployed to Melville Island to support operations, triage injured people and return them to Darwin and also maintain the crash scene while investigations continue.”
Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Why do we have troops in Australia? I had no idea.
High Flight
BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
It was a joint training exercise. US troops have trained in Australia since 1942. They are not permanently stationed there.
Ospreys always crash.
Before you go off on a rant about the Osprey, do some research on the teething problems of the Shithook!
The Osprey has a better safety record than almost all other Marine aircraft including the CH-53E.
Stick with the latest version of the CH-53. Never liked the Osprey.
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