MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashes during military exercise Credit: AP
Four Australian military pilots are missing after their helicopter crashed in waters off the country's northeast coast during a major military exercise.
Defense Secretary Richard Marles said on Saturday that the MRH-90 Taipan crashed around 10:30 pm Friday night (13:30 Moscow time) off the coast of Hamilton. island in Queensland and that “as we speak to you, four crews have yet to be found.”
Officers have announced the suspension of the 30,000-strong Talisman Saber exercise, a training operation involving forces from Australia, the United States and their Western allies including Japan, France, Germany and South Korea.
The families of the crew have been notified and a search is underway.
Mr Marles told reporters: “Our hopes and thoughts are very much with the crew and their families,” he said, adding that “we desperately hope for the best news throughout the day.”
“These are early days and there will be much more information about this incident,” he said.
Angus Campbell, Commander of the Australian Defense Force, said that the crash was a “terrible moment”.
The crew went missing off Hamilton Island off the east coast of Australia. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
He added: “I am really deeply grateful for the help provided by various civilian agencies, the Queensland Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Agency and the public, and our allies in the US, who have come together to help and continue the search and rescue . and find our people.”
The exercise was now in its second week and tested large-scale logistics, ground combat, amphibious landings and air operations.
Australia is now starting to overhaul its armed forces, focusing on long-range strike capabilities to keep potential adversaries like China at arm's length.
This is the second plane crash in two days in Queensland. . On Friday, a married couple in their 60s died after their plane took off from Kabooltur airfield and collided with another plane that was coming in to land.
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