AceBreakingNews – Authorities have confirmed three US marines have died in an aircraft crash on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, as recovery efforts continue.

Key points:

Twenty-three personnel were on board an MV-22B Osprey when it crashed on the remote Melville Island, 60km off the coast from Darwin.

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.”

At least one patient is in a critical condition.

Five are currently receiving treatment at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles described the crash as a “terrible incident”.

A Code Brown alert is the highest-level emergency response that can be declared in an Australian public hospital.

“There’s three operating theatres available, so we can absolutely cater for the numbers of casualties that we are already seeing coming through Royal Darwin Hospital,” Ms Fyles said. 

“One patient is in Royal Darwin Hospital in theatre being operated on presently.

“Four more patients are enrolled on hospital; we have more [injured people] arriving as we speak.”

Ms Fyles said from initial reports, all 23 people on board were US Defence personnel with a “wide range of injuries”.

She said health teams were triaging patients at the airport and emergency services were responding with “both helicopters and airplanes”.

She said the crash site on the island had been secured, and investigations were ongoing.

Commissioner Murphy said after the crash occurred, a military aircraft was deployed “almost immediately” in response and emergency services were notified.

He said the crash took place shortly before 9am about 2km inland on Melville Island.

Resident describes ‘mushroom of black smoke’

Melville Island resident Shane Murphy was fishing on the island at Purnali beach when the Osprey crashed and he saw the after-effects.

“It was like a big mushroom of black smoke,” the 36-year-old told the ABC.

From the distinctive colour of the smoke, he didn’t think it was a bushfire.

“[I thought] that looks a bit abnormal, and then we had a look real hard and we can see helicopters flying around where the black smoke was, so I knew something was suss, something had gone down,” Mr Murphy said.

“It was really, really dark. Real black.

The aircraft was one of two US Osprey that left Darwin this morning.

A Defence spokesperson said the “aircraft incident” occurred during Exercise Predators Run 2023, which has since been paused.

“Initial reports suggest the incident involves United States defence personnel and that Australian Defence Force members were not involved,” they said.

“At this critical early stage, our focus is on the incident response and ensuring the safety of those involved.”

“This is about a mission to bring people home and get treatment to make sure they’re okay,” Commissioner Murphy said. 

Prime minister offers support

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the crash as a “regrettable incident”.

“Our focus as a government and as the Department of Defence is very much on incident response and on making sure that every support and assistance is given at this difficult time,” he said.

Mr Albanese said the government would make a further statement later today.

“We will provide more information when appropriate,” he said. 

“We obviously want to make sure that any information that is provided is absolutely accurate, we’re also very much focused on providing that practical assistance on the ground.

“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 to make sure that we provide every assistance possible.”

More than 2,500 troops from the US, Australia, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Indonesia are currently taking part in the exercise on the Tiwi Islands.

Exercise Predators Run is the largest Australian Army-led exercise in the Northern Territory this year.

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