Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
US aircraft crash off Qld: what we know
The search for three missing American marines off the central Queensland coast has been called off with efforts now focused on recovery.
August 6, 2017
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CRASH OF US AIRCRAFT OFF QUEENSLAND:
* US Navy and Marine Corps have suspended search for three missing marines
* Operations have now shifted to recovery efforts in coordination with the Australian Defence Force, which could last several months
* Next-of-kin for the three missing Marines have been informed
* 26 on board the tilt-rotor aircraft MV-22 Osprey
* Crash occurred at 4pm on Saturday afternoon at Shoalwater Bay, off the central Queensland coast
* The Osprey had taken off from the USS Richard Bonhomme and was on scheduled operations
* 23 personnel have been rescued; one marine is in Rockhampton Hospital with a fractured leg
* No Australian personnel were on board
* The aircraft was in Australia for a joint military training exercise, the biennial Operation Talisman Sabre, held by the US and Australia in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area which ended last month
* Defence Minister Marise Payne has briefed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
* US President Donald Trump, who has just begun a 17-day vacation, has been briefed by his chief of staff John Kelly.
* This is the 10th known crash involving an Osprey since 1991.