4 crew lacking after Australian military helicopter crashes

A search is below means for 4 crew members of an Australian military helicopter after it crashed into the water off the Queensland coast. 

The MRH-90 Taipan chopper went down close to the Great Barrier Reef at 10.30pm on Friday throughout joint navy workout routines with the US.

A rescue helicopter has reportedly noticed particles close to the Whitsunday Islands.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles instructed reporters: “The helicopter was engaging in a two-helicopter mission, there were four aircrew aboard. Because there was another helicopter present, a search and rescue was able to commence immediately.

“As we converse to you now, the 4 aircrew are but to be discovered, the search and rescue continues.”

He added: “The families of the four aircrew 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 a lot with the efforts of the search and rescue crews as they go about their work proper now.”

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Australia and the US are at the moment conducting their biennial Talisman Sabre navy train alongside the Australian coast that this yr entails 13 nations and greater than 30,000 personnel.

It is the second emergency involving an Australian Taipan this yr, after one ditched into the ocean off the New South Wales state coast in March.

That helicopter was collaborating in a night-time counterterrorism coaching train when it bumped into bother. All 10 passengers and crew members had been rescued.