A US Marine Corps aircraft crashed while training in Australia, causing three deaths and injuring twenty.
The Marines were conducting an exercise in the North of Australia near the city of Darwin. Their V-22 Osprey, a helicopter/plan hybrid which has a history of crashing, went down off the coast. This no doubt prevented the death of all aboard. Fox News reports:
Three Marines were killed and 20 others were hurt, some critically, when the MV-22B Osprey helicopter crashed at about 9:30 a.m. local time on Melville Island off the coast of the city of Darwin as military personnel from the U.S., Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste were participating in exercise drills.
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Defence confirmed the incident in a statement to Fox News Digital and said no Australians were involved in the crash.
The Marine’s rotational positioning in Darwin is part of the wider security architecture of the Indo-Pacific. It enables cross-training with allied nations and is squarely aimed at deterring Chinese aggression in the region. ABC News continues:
U.S. Army officials in April had ordered a 24-hour stand-down of all aviation units following two deadly mid-air helicopter collisions within 30 days.
“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand-down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said in a statement announcing the stand-down.
Australia is a key ally in the region and an anchor against Chinese expansionist goals. During World War II, US troops were first stationed in Australia before embarking on further battles against the Japanese. Australian soldiers are battle-hardened from their missions in Afghanistan, and their navy is acquiring fast-attack nuclear submarines that could make short work of the Chinese fleet.
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