Military crash: Joe Biden responds to chopper safety ‘concerns’

The White House has addressed safety questions surrounding the US military helicopter disaster in Australia that killed three marines.

US president Joe Biden delivered his condolences to the families of the marines killed and injured in a Northern Territory helicopter crash, according to the White House.

Biden’s spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre added that the US president is “concerned” over safety issues surrounding the chopper that went down during a military exercise on Sunday.

“The president extended his condolences to the families of the marines who lost their lives in this horrific, horrific crash, as well as his prayers to those who have also suffered injuries,” she said.

It was the sixth fatal crash involving a US Marine Osprey since 2012. Asked about the recent string of US military training accidents, she added that Biden will always want to make sure that American troops are safe.

“The president, when it comes to our military force, he’s always going to be concerned,” she said.

US President Joe Biden, who sent condolences to the US marines killed in Australia, is concerned about military training accidents. Picture: AFP

“Anything related to this, I don’t want to get ahead of what the Department of Defence might be looking into, what might be causing this.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also expressed his sympathies to the families and colleagues of the Marines “tragically lost” during the training accident.

“These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC family,” he said.

@the.tiser Reporter Charles Miranda happened to be on an Osprey – the same aircraft that crashed and killed three marines this weekend. This is what it’s like to fly on these powerful chopper-cross-planes, and why the US won't give up the controversial aircraft. #osprey#ospreycrash#usmarines#marines#northernterritory♬ original sound - The Advertiser

PLAGUED SAFETY RECORD

The aircraft model involved in a US Marines helicopter crash over the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory has been plagued by a series of deadly crashes and safety failures in Australia and the US.

Three American marines were killed in a horror crash during a military exercise off the coast of the Northern Territory on Sunday. Another five were flown to Royal Darwin Hospital in a serious condition following the crash at 9.43am.

A total of 23 personnel were on board when the aircraft went down on its way to a routine training exercise, known as Predators Run, near Pickataramoor, Melville Island, 80km north of Darwin.

Asked whether some of the troops jumped out of the aircraft before it crashed, Defence Minister Richard Marles said little detail was known at this stage.

“I’m not aware of the specifics of that and I think all of the details surrounding the crash, and survivability of it for those who did survive will come out in the investigation,” he said during an appearance on Sunrise on Monday morning.

A Care Flight helicopter on the tarmac of the Darwin International Airport during the rescue of those injured in the US Osprey military aircraft crash. Picture: AFP

The crash will trigger “a number of investigations” which will include the United States, he said.

“The answers to those questions will take some time to come out with those investigations.”

Mr Marles also defended the exercises despite the risk involved.

“Defence exercises carry risk. In doing these exercises, we seek to simulate the experiences that would happen in conflict and that’s important so that we have a defence force which is matched,” he said, adding “If you don’t – you don’t have a capable defence force unless you do that, but they do carry risk and that is a very sad part of this. It’s also why in this moment we think very much of the sacrifice of these three Marines.”

Mr Marles said he had been in contact with US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and had offered condolences on behalf of the Australia government and Australian people.

“Our thoughts are very much with the families of those Marines. This is a desperately sad and tragic event and it just reminds us how dangerous and how risky defence exercises are but they are fundamental and effective for our national security,” he said.

The US embassy in Canberra has thanked the Australian Defence Force and NT government for their rescue efforts.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of the three US Marines who were lost in an MV-22B Osprey crash … We wish a speedy and full recovery to the injured,” the statement said.

People get on board a MV-22B Osprey aircraft in Tarampitao Airfield in Rizal, Palawan last wee as a part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2023 between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defence Force. Picture: AFP

“We are grateful to the Australian Defence Force, the Northern Territory government, the Royal Darwin Hospital and all the Australian first responders, healthcare workers, military personnel and government officials who have reached out to provide assistance.

“Australians and Americans have been the closest of friends for over a hundred years, and we’re thankful for their continued friendship and support at this time.”

The aircraft, an MV-22 Osprey, was at the centre of a crash in a remote area east of San Diego, California, last year that killed five Marines. That incident was attributed to mechanical failure. A report ruled out any issues with pilot and maintenance errors as well as weather, birds or other external factors.

The report concluded last monththat the US Marines were doing routine flight operations in May 2022 when “a catastrophic, unpreventable and unanticipated mechanical failure occurred”.

According to the report, the causes of the Californian crash was a “dual hard clutch engagement” that led to engine failure.

Colonel Brian Taylor said a numberof changes had been made to reduce the risk of it occurring by 99 per cent, but had not eliminated it.

The US Marines considered grounding its entire fleet of Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft in Australia back in 2017 after one of Queensland ’s worst military disasters.

Three marines were killed when an MV-22 Osprey crashed while attempting a landing on a ship off the coast of Rockhampton.

Lieutenant Colonel David Berke said at the time it was miraculous more people were not killed.

There have been a series of deadly incidents, mostly in the US, involving the aircraft.

Four US Marines were killed in Norway last year when their V-22B Osprey aircraft went down during NATO training exercises.

In April 2000, 19 Marines were killed in an MV-22 crash in Arizona.

Originally published as Military crash: Joe Biden responds to chopper safety ‘concerns’