At least three US Marines were killed Sunday when an Osprey carrying 23 personnel crashed on an island in northern Australia during a training exercise, US military officials said.
Five others were taken to a local hospital in serious condition. Northern Territory Premier Natasha Files said Sunday morning that an emergency response was underway to triage victims and transport them to local hospitals.
“Resuscitation efforts are continuing,” the Marines said in a statement.
Northern Territory Police said it is working with the US Marine Corps, the Department of Defense and members of the Department of Health and Careflight.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Darren England/AP
The US Marine Corps said in a statement that the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey crashed around 9:30 a.m. local time on Melville Island during the Predators Run exercise, which is involving the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and the Middle East. Timor.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it appeared that only Americans were on board the plane, according to the Associated Press.
“Initial reports indicate that only members of the US Defense Forces were involved in the incident,” Albanese said. “Our focus as a government and as a Department of Defense is very much on incident response and making sure all support and assistance is provided at this difficult time.”