4 Men Feared Dead After Helicopter Crashes During US – Australia Military Drill in Queensland

Four Australian airmen are feared dead after their military helicopter crashed off the coast of Queensland. The MRH-90 Taipan crashed near Hamilton Island, about 890 km north of Brisbane. This brought the military exercise to an abrupt halt. 

Brigadier Damian Hill, Director of the Talisman Sabre military exercises, said they have put  the drill on hold. “I have initiated a Pause-Ex across Australia for all participants of Talisman Sabre to enable them all, regardless of their nation, to reach out and let their families know what is going on.” 

The biennial joint US – Australian military exercise involves 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel. The Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said a search has been launched to find the missing men. Queensland state authorities, members of the public and US military personnel are helping in the search operation. 

Marles highlighted that the helicopter was taking part in a mission that involved a second helicopter. “Defense exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defense force, are serious. They carry risk. As we desperately hope for better news during the course of this day we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform.” 

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The US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said it’s always tough when you have accidents in training. “But the reason that we train to such high standards is so that we can be successful and we can protect lives when we are called to answer any kind of crisis. Our guys tend to make this look easy and they make it look easy because they’re so well exercised and rehearsed and trained, and this is unfortunately a part of that, what it takes to get them to where we need them to be.” 

The search team found a debris field in an exclusive zone spanning 1000m. The debris are being taken to a nearby warship Brisbane.