In a tragic turn of events, a military aircraft crash off the coast of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory has claimed the lives of three US Marines and left five in a critical condition. The V-22 Osprey, a unique aircraft developed by Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters, was performing drills on Melville Island, approximately 60 kilometers from Darwin, when the incident occurred, according to a statement from the US Marine Rotational Force.
This crash is the second to occur in Australia during training drills in less than two months, raising serious questions about the safety of these exercises. In late July, an Australian army helicopter went down off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, resulting in the death of four Australian service members. The drills, known as Exercise Predator’s Run 2023, involved military personnel from the US, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, according to a report from Sky News Australia.
