Three U.S. Marines were killed and 20 others were injured when their MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor plane crashed off the coast of Australia during a routine training drill, the Marine Corps announced Sunday.
The helicopter, which was carrying 23 American service personnel, was taking part in the ongoing multinational “Predators Run 2023” training exercises with Australia and allies from around the South Pacific.
Authorities said the crash occurred Sunday morning Australian time on Melville Island, a remote site about 50 miles north of the city of Darwin. “Three have been confirmed deceased while five others were transported to Royal Darwin hospital in serious condition,” a statement from the U.S. Marine Rotational Force-Darwin said, adding that five Marines had already been transported to Royal Darwin hospital, with at least one patient in critical condition.
The names of those Marines lost and wounded were not immediately available, and officials said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.Australian military officials are “very much on incident response and on making sure that every support and assistance is given at this point in time,” he said in a statement released by his office.
Predators Run 2023 began earlier this week, involving some 2,500 troops from the U.S., Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
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