The names of four pilots thought slain when an Australian Defence Force helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Queensland were revealed on Sunday by Australia’s army chief.
The MRH-90 helicopter was participating in the biennial Talisman Sabre military exercises between the United States and Australia when it crashed into waters at Hamilton Island, about 890 kilometres (550 miles) north of the state capital Brisbane, late Friday.
Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of Army, addressed the media in Sydney and identified the missing soldiers as Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock, and Corporal Alexander Naggs.
All four were members of the 6th Aviation Regiment of the Australian Army, located in Sydney.
“Let’s be focused on bringing them home”, Stuart said, adding that the search for the four young men remains ongoing.
He stated that the army will not fly MRH-90 helicopters until it felt it was safe to do so.
Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters in Townsville, Queensland, that the disaster would be thoroughly investigated.
The incident marred this weekend’s annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) conversation in Queensland state between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, as well as their Australian counterparts.
“My thoughts are with the four Australians who were involved in the helicopter crash”, Lloyd said to troops participating in Talisman Sabre in Townsville.
The joint military drills, which had been temporarily halted due to the hunt for the missing airmen, have now resumed.
The event consists of two weeks of war simulations with over 30,000 troops and participants from 11 additional countries as a display of might and solidarity in the face of China’s military buildup in the region.
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