Air traffic control audio has the moment authorities declared an emergency after the crash of a US military Osprey aircraft that killed three marines.
Key points:
- Three people remain in hospital following the crash, one in intensive care
- Air traffic control audio mentions ‘significant fire’ minutes after an emergency is declared
- The incident happened on Melville Island north of Darwin
Twenty-three personnel were onboard the Osprey, with 20 of the crew evacuated to Darwin.
In the audio, an American voice can be heard making the first mention of a serious incident unfolding on the Tiwi Islands, to Darwin’s north.
“We are just a declaring an emergency, we have Dumptruck 11 flight single MV-22 in the vicinity of Melville Island.”
Approximately six minutes later, air traffic control asks for further information:
“Contact 33, search and rescue is requesting … if there is fire.”
“There is a significant fire in the vicinity of the crash site. Looks like it is not spreading, but there is a significant fire,” comes a response.
The recording can be heard in audio logs of Darwin’s air traffic control shortly after the crash around 9am on Sunday.
The crash happened during Exercise Predators Run, a series of wargames being held in northern Australia between the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor Leste.
Three people were killed and three more remain in the Royal Darwin Hospital, including one in intensive care.
The bodies of those killed are expected to be brought back to the mainland in the coming days, with Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy saying investigators are expected to be stationed at the crash site for another 10 days at least.
Tributes flow for pilot of crashed Osprey
In the hours after the crash, multiple organisations including Careflight, NT Police, NT Health and the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) assisted in getting injured US marines back to Darwin.
Executive director of the Darwin-based National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, Len Notaras, said he was “relieved” so many people survived the crash.
“Quite often the result of such an event can be catastrophic,” he said.
“Those that got the asset onto the ground, are probably well worthwhile commending even though they might have lost their lives.”
The NCCTRC provided the trauma service at Royal Darwin Hospital and helped assess and manage patients following the incident.
Mr Notaras said he had heard from first responders on Melville Island that the crash scene was “horrendous”.
“It really was underpinned by the severity of the crash itself,” he said.
“Thankfully it could have been worse, it could have been much, much worse.”
He said the NCCTRC would provide a crucial role amid a build-up of military forces in the Top End over coming years.
“We need to be here and pivoted to assist in terms of response,” he said.