US military helicopter V-22 Osprey crashes in Australia with 20 Marines on board

A helicopter with at least 20 US Marines onboard crashed in Australia's Northern Territory during a military exercise, the Australian Defence Ministry was reported saying in a statement on Sunday. A V-22 Osprey helicopter was flying with Marines on board when it crashed off the coast of Darwin, according to Sky News Australia. A rescue operation is underway. The incident occurred during the Exercise Predator's Run 2023.

Initial reports suggested that the accident involved United States defence personnel, as well as the Australian Defence Force members. Later, Australia's Defence Ministry clarified to the agencies in an emailed statement that onboard were the military personnel of the United States, and that no Australian Defence Force members were involved in the crash. The helicopter crashed near Melville Island north of Darwin. The cause of the crash is still unknown.

"At this critical early stage, our focus is on the incident response and ensuring the safety of those involved. More information will be provided when appropriate," Australian Defence Force said in a statement, confirming no Australians were on board when the aircraft went down.

Darwin Hospital remains on high alert, no fatalities 

According to Australia's 9News, the injuries to the US military personnel are unknown, but the nearby Darwin Hospital remains on high alert. No fatalities are reported at this time. At the scene of the incident, a Careflight helicopter took off. As per the Northern Territory Police in Australia,  the aircraft crash occurred on Melville Island at around 11:00 a.m. local time. Northern Territory Police officers issued an official statement, that read, they are "currently responding to reports of an aircraft crash on Melville Island".

The ‘Predators Run’ military drills involve personnel from Australia, the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste and take place with roughly 2500 troops. But in the helicopter, only US military troops were present, authorities confirmed. "It is possible casualties may result from the crash, as some personnel remain unaccounted for," sources told Sky News Australia.