Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan Photo by: ADF
Defence can confirm an Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter has impacted waters near Lindeman Island, off the Queensland coast. The aircraft was participating in a night-time training activity as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 when it was reported missing late Friday night, 28 July 2023. Four crew were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident and are currently missing.
Military and civilian search and rescue aircraft and watercraft are currently conducting search and rescue operations at the incident site.
At this time Defence’s priority is supporting our ADF members and their families. Families of affected personnel have been notified.
Talisman Sabre Exercise Director Brigadier Damian Hill
BRIG DAMIAN HILL: Many of you know the Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter impacted waters near Lindeman Island, Queensland last night, 28 July. The aircraft was participating in a night-time training activity as part of exercise Talisman Sabre. The incident occurred at approximately 11:00 pm. The search and rescue effort commenced immediately with the second MRH-90 Taipan that was moving with the aircraft that impacted waters. Defence can confirm that there were four people on board at the time of the incident. And sadly, at this stage, those personnel have yet to be found.
The combined search and rescue effort by the Australian Defence Force, the United States and Queensland and federal emergency services continues. We have both air and maritime assets currently in location undertaking this search. That includes both Australian – Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol aircraft, Royal Australian Navy helicopters, United States Navy maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters, Canadian helicopters, as well as the Queensland and federal agency fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. As well as Queensland Emergency Services vessels on the scene, Australian Defence Force also has its vessels participating exercise Talisman Sabre deployed on the scene. HMAS Brisbane is also on the scene. HMAS Adelaide will arrive later this evening and then early tomorrow, HMAS Huon will arrive in the vicinity as well.
The families of the missing personnel have been notified. I’d like to reiterate it was Defence’s priority to look after those families, their members, their teammates, and those that know them. Our thoughts, and mine in particular, are with the missing service members, their teammates and their families, and especially the search and rescue teams. We will continue to work with local emergency services, to continue the search. The aircraft accident investigation team will arrive this afternoon to commence investigation into the incident.
As Exercise Director, I put a pause on the exercise this morning. I wanted our people to contact their families to let them know they were safe and what was happening. We have started some limited exercise activity again, mostly in Western Australia and Northern Territory.
As a precaution, the ADF has established an operational pause for all of our MRH-90 fleet.
And again, for those service members, those veterans and those members of the community that are suffering as a consequence of this, we ask that you reach out to the relevant support networks. For those of us in the ADF, that includes the Defence Member and Family Support and Open Arms. I’ll hand over now to emergency services.
DOUGLAS MCDONALD: Thank you, Acting Assistant Commissioner Douglas McDonald. I’m from the Queensland Police Service. I’m here today to give an update in relation to police activities in partnership with the ADF to search for the missing helicopter and those that were on board. At present, we are working closely with the ADF on a search and rescue mission around that Whitsunday area. At this time, we have located a number of items of debris that would appear to be from the missing helicopter. They will form part of the investigation as we move forward into what has occurred up there. At this time, it remains a search and rescue operation, and we have a number of specialist resources in place at the moment working with the ADF, including our police vessel, QPV Damian Leeding from where we’re controlling the search and rescue at sea and working closely with the Navy in that regard as well.
RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: I am joined this morning by General Angus Campbell, the Chief of The Defence Force, and Brigadier Damian Hill, who is the Exercise Director of Exercise Talisman Sabre.
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. There were four air crew aboard. 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 are yet to be found. The search and rescue continues. The families of the four air crew have been notified of this incident and our hopes and our thoughts are very much with the air crew and their families. Our hopes are very much with the efforts of the search and rescue crews as they go about their work right now.
These are early days and there will be much more information to be provided about this incident. But Defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our Defence Force, are serious. They carry risk. And as we desperately hope for better news during the course of this day, we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform.
GENERAL ANGUS CAMPBELL, CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE: Thanks, Deputy Prime Minister. Our focus at the moment is finding our people, and supporting their families and the rest of our team. This is indeed a terrible moment. I really deeply appreciate the assistance that has been provided by a variety of civil agencies, the Queensland Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Agency and the public, as well as our US allies, all of whom have come together to assist, to continue the search and rescue and to find our people.
BRIGADIER DAMIAN HILL, TALISMAN SABRE 2023 EXERCISE DIRECTOR: As Exercise Director, I’ve initiated a Pause-Ex across Australia for all participants of Talisman Sabre to enable them all, regardless of their nation, to reach out and let their families know what is going on. I’ll be available throughout the day, in the coming days, as Exercise Director, to provide updates as they become known to us to ensure that everybody is aware of what we’re doing to look after our people.