Three US Marines killed in Osprey plane crash on remote island

Three MV-22B Osprey convertiplanes, similar to the one that was involved in the crash on Sunday, fly in formation over the Pacific Ocean off the coast from Sydney Photo : Amy Phan/US Marine Corps/AFP

Three US Marines were killed Sunday when their Osprey plane crashed on a remote Australian island during an exercise.

US officials said five more members crew members were injured and were airlifted from the isolated crash site to the Royal Darwin Hospital in «serious condition».

The USMC rotational force in Darwin reported that a total of 23 people were on board at the time of the crash.

The Australian military said only Americans were involved.

Works on rescue were difficult. at a remote crash site on the sparsely populated island of Melville. It is about 37 miles north of the nearest city, Darwin.

The aircraft took part in an exercise called «Predators Run» — a series of exercises that involved thousands of soldiers from the United States and Australia, as well as other military personnel, including from Indonesia and the Philippines.

Ospreys are described by the US Air Force as combining features of helicopters and turboprops.

Hybrid aircraft have two rotary engines located on fixed wingtips, which allows them to land and take off vertically. They also fly much faster than a conventional helicopter.

Osprey crashes 'tragically and regrettably'

Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, and Richard Marles, Minister of Defense of the country, expressed their «deepest condolences» to the US military in connection with the disaster.

«This incident is a reminder of the importance of service. taken by our staff and those of our partner countries,” the joint statement said.

Mr. Albanese also called the disaster “tragic” and “regrettable,” and stressed that the authorities were still trying to figure out the details . together what happened.

“This is a complex incident, we are fully responding and our priority is to provide all possible assistance,” he said.

A medical helicopter participated in the rescue operation on Sunday. Credit: DAVID GRAY/AFP

Local authorities said the Royal Darwin Hospital had activated the highest alert as intensive care personnel prepared for the arrival of injured crew members.

Northern Australia has become an important staging area for the US military in recent years , as Washington and Canberra work together to counter China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific.

Investigators will now begin to piece together what led to the disaster on Melville Island, which is known for its coral reefs, pristine beaches and vibrant Indigenous Australian culture.

Earlier this year, the US Army temporarily grounded all pilots who were not involved in the crash. missions, forcing them to undergo further training after a series of security incidents.