3 US Marines killed, 20 injured in an aircraft crash in Australia, officials say
Canberra (AP/PTI): A United States Marine Corps aircraft crashed on a north Australian island Sunday, killing three Marines and injuring 20 during a multi-nation training exercise, officials said.
Three had been confirmed dead on Melville Island and five of the 23 on board had been flown in serious conditions 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the mainland city of Darwin for hospital treatment after the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed around 9:30 a.m. local time, a corps statement said.
"Recovery efforts are ongoing," the statement said, adding the cause of the crash was under investigation.
A United States Marines Corps aircraft crashed on a north Australian island Sunday, injuring 23 Marines, several critically, officials said.
Five of the injured were flown 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Melville Island to the mainland city of Darwin for hospital treatment, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said around six hours after the crash.
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft had been deployed to return from the remote location with the rest of the injured, he said.
One of the injured was undergoing surgery at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said at a joint news conference with Murphy.
Some were critically injured and patients were being triaged on arrival at Darwin's airport, she said. No deaths were reported.
"We acknowledge that this is a terrible incident," Fyles said. "The Northern Territory government stands by to offer whatever assistance is required."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said only Americans were injured when the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed during Exercise Predators Run, which involves the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.
"The initial reports suggest that the incident involves just U.S. defense force personnel," Albanese said.
"Our focus as a government and as the department of defense is very much on incident response and on making sure that every support and assistance is given at this difficult time," he added.
Melville is part of the Tiwi Islands, which along with Darwin are the focus of the exercise that involves 2,500 troops.
The Osprey that crashed was one of two that had flown from Darwin to Melville on Sunday, Murphy said.
Around 150 U.S. Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city every year.
The U.S. military was also taking part in a mulitnation military exercise in July when four Australia personnel were killed in an army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash off the northeast Australian coast. (AP)
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Harry Brook blitzes to 3000 Test runs; fastest ever in terms of balls faced
Melbourne: On a frantic day one of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday (Dec 26), amidst the fiercest bowler's day out, English batsman Harry brook reached the milestone by completing 3000 runs in Test, in terms of balls faced.
In 34 Test matches, Brook scored 3034 runs at a strike rate of over 86, with 10 centuries and 14 half-centuries, in 57 innings, at an average of 54.17. He reached the landmark in just 3,468 deliveries.
Brook made an exceptional kick off to his test career by amassing 809 runs in his first six test appearances having batted ten times with a career average of 80.90 and with a strike rate of almost 100. In December 2024, he topped the ICC rankings for Test batsmen during England's tour of New Zealand. He was named as ICC Men's Player of the Month award twice in December 2022 and February 2023.
