Four feared dead after Australian military helicopter crashes during Talisman Sabre exercise
The frantic search continues for victims of a military helicopter crash into the ocean off the Queensland coast that has left four Australian aircrew missing, feared dead. It comes as the ADF confirmed which barracks the crew were stationed at.
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Four people are feared dead after an Australian military helicopter plunged into the ocean off the Queensland coast overnight during Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the helicopter was forced to ditch into waters near Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays during a two-aircraft “night-time training activity” on Friday.
Four Australian personnel on board the MRH-90 Taipan which crashed about 10.30pm are yet to be located.
Mr Marles said a search and rescue mission was able to begin immediately due to the presence of the other helicopter taking part in the exercise.
At 5pm on Saturday, Talisman Sabre Exercise Director Brigadier Damian Hill said a combined search and rescue effort to locate missing aircrew of an Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan “continues”.
“We have started some limited exercise activity again, mostly in Western Australia and the Northern Territory again,” Mr Hill said.
But Mr Hill confirmed the Australian Defence Force had “paused” all activities with the MRH-90 fleet.
He confirmed all four crew members were from Sydney’s 6th Aviation Regiment, Holsworthy Barracks.
Queensland Police Service Acting Assistant Commissioner Douglas McDonald said “at this time we have located a number of items of debris that would appear to be from the missing helicopter”.
Mr Hill said the ADF co-ordination for the search and research is being undertaken by the commander aboard HMAS Adelaide.
“(HMAS Adelaide) has significant aviation assets that can support widened search if required. HMAS Huon has some of our more experienced divers should we need to look under the water for wreckage as the search and rescue continues”.
Mr Hill said about 800 personnel are involved in search and rescue operations.
An exclusion zone spanning 1000m has been established around the Whitsundays site where a debris field has been found.
The retrieval operation is focused on a site in the middle of the Whitsunday Passage between North and South Molle Islands, across from Hook Island
At sea, helicopters can be seen carrying debris while it’s understood Police Boat Damian Leeding and a Volunteer Marine Rescue boat Midge Point have also retrieved debris.
Navy fast boats and multiple other vessels, including one carrying a large crane, are involved in the search and it’s understood all debris is being delivered to nearby warship Brisbane.
Mr Marles said it was early days and there would be more information provided.
“But defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defence force, are serious and they carry risk,” he said.
“And 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.”
Chief of Defence General Angus Campbell said the focus at the moment was finding the personnel and supporting their families and the rest of the team.
“This is indeed a terrible moment,” he said.
“I really deeply appreciate the assistance that’s been provided by a variety of civil agencies; the Queensland Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Agency, and the public as well as our US allies, all of whom have come together to assist to continue the search and rescue and to find our people.”
Statement on Exercise Talisman Sabre. pic.twitter.com/uVX3yr4kGh
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 29, 2023
The Australian Defence Force issued a statement about 11.20am.
“Military and civilian search and rescue aircraft and watercraft are currently conducting search and rescue operations at the incident site,” the statement read.
“At this time Defence’s priority is supporting our ADF members and their families. Families of affected personnel have been notified.”
A US spokesman involved with TS23 confirmed the US was assisting with the search and rescue efforts and released a statement from an unnamed US Department of Defense official.
“The U.S. is actively assisting the Australian Defence Force and civilian authorities with search and rescue efforts for the missing crew of an Australian Army helicopter. Our thoughts are with the families, service members and search and rescue teams,” the statement said.
High-level talks continue
A sombre tone has blanketed high-level talks between Australian and United States Defence and foreign affairs top brass under way in Brisbane.
Mr Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong are hosting their US counterparts, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, for joint Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN).
Mr Marles, emerging from the high-level meetings with US officials in Brisbane, said the annual AUSMIN meeting had been conducted with “heavy hearts” following the helicopter crash.
“I know I speak on behalf of all four of us when I say that our thoughts and prayers are very much with the missing aircrew and their families,” he said.
“Exercise Talisman Sabre involves a number of countries but it is fundamentally a bilateral exercise between Australia and the United States.
“It’s jointly planned by our two countries and jointly run by our two countries. It is so important for both of our defence forces. It’s serious, it is dangerous.”
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the Americans stood ready to help Australia “in any way that we can” in the search and rescue of four aircrew personnel missing in North Queensland.
“I’ve told the Deputy Prime Minister that whatever he needs, we stand ready to provide,” he said.
Troubled history of MRH-90 Taipan
Australia’s issue-plagued fleet of MRH-90 choppers, known as Taipans, was grounded in March this year after an incident at Jervis Bay when the aircraft carrying 10 commandos was forced ditched in shallow water.
All 10 personnel were recovered from the aircraft with no major injuries.
All 47 of the European-designed MRH-90 Taipans were grounded as a results.
The operational pause on flying operations for the Taipans was lifted on April 6 with “risk mitigations in place,” a defence spokeswoman said. The “risk mitigations” were not disclosed at the time.
The aircraft has been listed as a “project of concern” by the Australian National Audit Office.
The federal government earlier in 2023 and prior to the Jervis Bay crash announced the Taipans would be phased out in 2024, 13 years ahead of the intended end of the project.
Defence ground part of all of the fleet in 2019, 2020 and 2021 due to safety and maintenance concerns.
Despite the troubled history, the Royal Australian Navy’s website describes the MRH-090 as having “more built-in safety features that meet or exceed the ADF’s requirements”.
Holiday-makers oblivious to unfolding search
At Shute Harbour in Airlie Beach on Saturday morning, there was no sign of military activity and island ferry operated as normal.
One terminal tour operator said staff on Long Island had heard helicopters from around 4am.
Holidaying couple Daryl and June Kennedy, from Kialla in Victoria, had stayed at Hamilton Island’s Catseye Beach and did not hear or see anything on Saturday morning.
They returned to the mainland on the 7.15am ferry and said nothing had been visible on the transfer route.
It’s understood water taxis from nearby islands have been seen refuelling throughout the morning after being called in to help with the search.
Another Victorian visitor to Hamilton Island said she was sad to hear about the tragedy.
She said she woke to the sound of a plane flying “really low” about 3.50am and checked a plane app on her phone which showed a US Airforce plane was flying in the area.
She said family members had been hearing other aircraft since about 1-2am and helicopters had been seen regularly flying overhead since.
A couple staying at Palm Bay Resort at nearby Long Island said they had “heard helicopters do a grid pattern late during the night”.
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