Four persons missing after Australian military helicopter crashes off coast of Queensland

An Australian military helicopter has crashed off the coast of Queensland, killing four persons.

The incident occurred during a US-Australian drill off the coast of Lindeman Island.

A search and rescue mission was immediately begun, according to Defence Minister Richard Marles.

“The four air crew are yet to be found,” Marles said during a press conference on Saturday morning.

He said that the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed near the island, in the Whitsundays, at about 22:30 local time (12:30 GMT).

“Our hopes and thoughts are very much with the aircrew and their families,” he said, adding that “we desperately hope for better news during the course of the day”.

“These are early days and there will be much more information to be provided about this incident,” he said.

Speaking at the same press briefing, the Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell said it was “a terrible moment”.

He said he appreciated the support provided by civil agencies, the police, the public and “our US allies” to assist the search and rescue operation so far.

The MRH-90 Taipan crashed during Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest bilateral military training exercise with the United States.

The Talisman Sabre exercise, which includes soldiers from Japan, France, Germany, and South Korea, has been paused, according to defense authorities.

The exercise had been entering its second week and was testing large-scale logistics, land combat, amphibious landings and air operations. It was expected to wrap up by 4 August.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are both currently in Queensland as part of the annual Australia-US ministerial dialogue.