Four feared dead after military chopper crashes near Hamilton Island

Defence Minister Richard Marles says AUSMIN talks have been conducted with ‘heavy hearts’ amid a horror army chopper crash over the Whitsundays.

US Army aircrew watch an Australian Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter land from their UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter during Exercise Talisman Sabre.

Four Australian Defence Force members are missing, feared dead, after a helicopter crash during the Talisman Sabre military exercise in Queensland.

A search and rescue mission involving Australian and US Defence Force personnel is underway off Hamilton Island for the crew of the MRH-90 helicopter, which went down about 10.30pm on Friday.

Emerging from Australia-United States Ministerial Consultation (AUSMIN) talks in Brisbane on Saturday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the meeting was conducted with “heavy hearts”.

Mr Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong met with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

“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,” Mr Marles said.

“It’s serious. It is dangerous. And it does carry risk. And as we have contemplated that during the course of our deliberations today. We are reminded that, as our Defence Force personnel have been conducted side-by-side today, they have been side-by-side for more than a century, during which Australians and Americans have fought together in every conflict during that time.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Deputy Prime Minister said a second helicopter involved in the exercise immediately began the search, but the four were yet to be found.

“The families of the four aircrew have been notified of this incident and our hopes and our thoughts are very much with the aircrew and their families,” he said.

“Our hopes are very much with the efforts of the search and rescue crews as they go about their work right now.”

A search and rescue mission is underway.

“They carry risk and as we desperately hope for better news during the course of this time, we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform.”

Senator Wong praised the US as a “vital ally” and said her thoughts are with the missing ADF members families and search and rescue crews.

“We are reminded that those who serve our country do so recognising the risk that that service entails and demonstrating, every day, the courage to take on that risk on our behalf. And we thank them for it,” she said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, appearing in a press conference alongside his Australian hosts, said his heart is “full of concern” following the crash overnight.

“And our hearts are full, too, because they were performing their duties alongside American servicemen and women to further strengthen our alliance, our partnership, and the work we‘re doing together around the world. They have been on our minds throughout today. They remain very much on our minds right now,” he said.

Mr Blinken also spoke of his deep connection with Australia, sharing that his late stepfather studied in the country.

“It also holds a special place in the hearts of so many Americans. Indeed, in Australia, Americans know they have one of their dearest friends, their staunchest allies, their closest partners.”

Statement on Exercise Talisman Sabre. pic.twitter.com/uVX3yr4kGh

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 29, 2023

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said America was ready to throw its support behind Australia to locate the missing crew.

“The United States is assisting with search-and-rescue efforts, and we will continue to help in any way that we can. I’ve told the Deputy Prime Minister that whatever he needs, we stand ready to provide assistance,” he said.

“Our meetings today reaffirm the strength of our unbreakable alliance. And the strategic alignment between our countries has never been greater. We share a common vision of a free and open Indo Pacific. We‘re committed to investing further in our alliance to uphold this vision.”

Anthony Albanese also issued a statement and said his thoughts were with the loved ones of the ADF members yet to be found.

“All Australians hold them in our hearts and we hold on to hope as the search and rescue teams go about their work right now. We have the utmost confidence in their professionalism and skill,” the Prime Minister said.

Talisman Sabre Exercise Director Brigadier Damian Hill confirmed that as of Saturday night the pilots are still missing.

He said the pause on the exercise had been lifted, with limited activity commencing mostly in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

“As a precaution the ADF has established an operational pause for all of our MRH-90 fleet. And again for those service members, those veterans, and those members of the community that are suffering as a consequence of this, I ask that you reach out to the relevant support networks,” Brigadier Hill said.

Queensland Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Douglas McDonald said the mission remains a search and rescue.

“At this time we have located a number items of debris that would appear to be from the missing helicopter. They will form part of the investigation as we move forward into what has occurred up there,” he said.

The Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell said the ADF’s focus was “finding our people and supporting their families”.

“This is indeed a terrible moment,” General Campbell said.

The US military is assisting with the search, along with Queensland Police and the Australian Maritime Safety Agency.

Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the four aircrew missing. We hold onto hope as the search and rescue teams go about their work. This is a very tough day for all #ourADF & their families. https://t.co/z7PVqWDU2o

— Pat Conroy MP (@PatConroy1) July 29, 2023

Liberal MP and manager of opposition business Paul Fletcher called the news of the missing ADF members “absolutely devastating”.

“Part of Operation Talisman Sabre, which is a very important military exercise [to] Australia, the US, a whole range of other countries, it’s very important that our military are training for the job that they may have to do one day, we all hope they never have to do, but they may have to do one day,” he said on Sky News.

“But it is an inherently dangerous job serving our country, so I know all of us will be thinking of their families at this difficult time and obviously awaiting what sadly we expect will be the official confirmation of loss of life.”

The crash follows another in March involving an army MRH-90.

In that incident, 10 ADF personnel, including special forces members, escaped when the helicopter they were in crashed off Jervis Bay in NSW.

The helicopter was flying over the water during a counter-terrorism training exercise when it lost power to its main rotor, forcing it to ditch in the water.

The European-designed MRH-90s, which are being replaced by US-made Black Hawks, have experienced long-running maintenance problems and poor reliability.

Talisman Sabre is the country’s biggest training exercise. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images