At least three US Marines killed and 20 injured in Osprey aircraft crash in Australia

Asia-Pacific, News, US August 28, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

A United States Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft crashed in Australia on August 27, 2023. The plane was carrying 23 Marine soldiers, three of them have been reported dead while 20 suffered severe injuries.

The plane crashed at a remote location in Australia’s Melville Island in the Northern Territories. The tiltrotor U.S. plane was present in Australia to participate in ongoing joint military drills called Exercise Predators Run.

The U.S. Marine Corps released a statement following the incident saying “The Marines aboard the aircraft were flying in support of Exercise Predators Run. Recovery efforts are ongoing.” The statement added that “the cause of the incident is under investigation.”

Australia’s Northern Territories Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said that the local authorities are carrying out swift rescue operations using helicopters and fixed-winged planes. The injured marines were transferred to Australia’s northern city of Darwin as they are being treated at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Five of the 20 surviving Marines have been reported to be in serious condition.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Marles expressed their condolences in a joint statement. “Australian and U.S. personnel have stood shoulder to shoulder for more than a century. Our Alliance is built upon these enduring links and our shared values,” Albanese and Marles said.

The U.S. Marine MV-22B Osprey aircraft flew on August 27, 2023, from Darwin towards the Tiwi islands, about 80 kilometers north. Initial reports suggest that the plane suffered technical failures during the flight and tried a crash landing at Melville Island which resulted in the death of at least three personnel.

U.S. MV-22 Osprey aircraft — ^{An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, attached with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, takes off from the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) on March 21, 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brett McMinoway)}

This is not the first crash incident that involves an Osprey aircraft. Generally, the relatively new design of Bell Boeing’s tiltrotor planes has proven to be safe for short-haul flights that involve vertical take-off and landing. However, the plane also has a prominent track record of failures.

In 2022, five U.S. Marines died in a deadly crash involving the same type of aircraft. The accident took place in Glamis, California during a military training session. During the same year, another Osprey aircraft crashed during a NATO exercise in Norway resulting in the death of four U.S. military personnel.

After an incident of such kind, it is common to put an operational halt to the military activities and training exercise, however, so far, no announcement has been made in this regard.

Last month, an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter also crashed into the sea off the coast of Queensland in Australia as it was taking part in a military training exercise. The helicopter was involved in a joint military drill between the United States and Australian forces. The drills were part of the large-scale, Talisman Sabre. Australian authorities had put the exercises on hold following the crash.