IRIA News

Four Australian military personnel aboard an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter were reported missing after the helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of Queensland in Australia, on July 28, 2023.

“Four crew were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident and are currently missing,” the Australian Defense Ministry said.

The helicopter was involved in a joint military drill between the United States and Australian forces. The drills were part of an ongoing large-scale exercise known as Talisman Sabre. The exercise is held every other year, alternating between the two countries, and includes forces from several other allied nations. Australian authorities have put the exercises on hold following the crash.

Speaking at a press conference in Brisbane, Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles said the search was ongoing for the four personnel. “We meet this day with a heavy heart. Last night, just after 10:30, an Australian Army helicopter, an MRH-90, ditched in waters close to Hamilton Island. The helicopter was engaging in a two-helicopter mission,” Marles said.

The defense minister added that “Because there was another helicopter present, a search, and rescue was able to commence immediately. As we speak to you now, the four-air crew is yet to be found. The search and rescue continue.”

According to the Australian Defense Ministry, the helicopter crashed between Hamilton Island and Linderman Island, off the coast of the state of Queensland.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his “thoughts are with loved ones of the missing.” A joint statement by the Australian prime minister and deputy prime minister said that “All Australians hold them in our hearts and we hold onto hope as the search and rescue teams go about their work right now. We have the utmost confidence in their professionalism and skill.”

Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash

— 4 crew missing after chopper crashed off Hamilton Island in Queensland.

— The helicopter was involved in #TalismanSabre2023, a joint Australia-US military exercise.

— A search and rescue operation is underway. pic.twitter.com/UflB3dT2Ru

— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) July 29, 2023

U.S.-Australian ministerial meeting

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are also present in Brisbane to meet their Australian counterparts, Defense Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a high-level security meeting.

“We are thinking of the families, their friends, comrades,” Blinken said as he spoke about the incident. “For everything they’ve been doing to the freedom that we share, and that is what unites us more than anything else and we are stepping up with assistance,” he added.

Austin said it is “always tough” to encounter accidents in training. “But the reason that we trained to such high standards is so that we can be successful and we can protect lives when we are called to answer any kind of crisis,” he said.

Exercise halts following the crash  

The ongoing military exercise has been paused following the crash. Talisman Sabre Exercise Director Brigadier Damien Hill said that the exercise has been put on hold to allow all participants “regardless of their nation, to reach out and let their families know what is going on.”

More than 30,000 military personnel from 13 different countries have gathered in Australia to participate in one of the largest joint military exercises in the region. The drills are taking place at several locations across Australia including Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and New South Wales.

According to the Australian Defense Ministry, forces from the United States, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Korea, Tonga, and the United Kingdom will participate in the exercise. Personnel from India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are attending the drills as observers.

The helicopter has a long history of problems

The Australian Army helicopter involved in the crash has a long history of technical problems. The latest crash is the second time in a few months that the Australian military was forced to ditch a Taipan helicopter in the sea.

Earlier in March 2023, a similar incident involving the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter resulted in two injuries. It was concluded that the helicopter was put down in the waters due to an engine failure. Following the crash in March, the Australian army grounded a fleet of 47 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters.

First purchased in 2004, the helicopters were favored due to their lower prices against the U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters. However, the MRH-90 Taipan helicopters have been plagued by controversy for much of their service.

The Taipan is an Australian variant of the NH-90 helicopter; a European-made medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter developed by NH Industries. The helicopter was made to cater to the NATO requirements for a battlefield helicopter.