(UnitedVoice.com) – When the United States Military trains members of the Armed Forces, they are out in dangerous situations. For example, members of the 82nd Airborne repeatedly jump out of planes to learn how to do it smoothly. Service members are also put through live fire exercises. A recent training exercise went wrong and led to several injuries and deaths.
On August 27, the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin announced that a US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crashed on Melville Island in Australia. The aircraft was transporting troops during a training exercise that was described as “routine.” There were 23 service members onboard when the aircraft crashed.
Latest Information on the MV-22B Osprey Incident pic.twitter.com/OCeUJ6KwIe
— MRF-D (@MRFDarwin) August 27, 2023
Three US Marines were killed in the accident. They were identified as
- Major Tobin J. Lewis, 37, from Jefferson, Colorado;
- Corporal Spencer R. Collart, 21, from Arlington, Virginia, and;
- Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, from Belleville, Illinois.
Five other Marines suffered injuries in the accident and were transported to Royal Darwin Hospital. At least one of them had to undergo surgery on the day of the crash.
The Marines who were onboard the aircraft were there to support the multilateral arms exercise known as the Exercise Predators Run. It involved members of the Australian Army, Malaysian Armed Forces, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Marines.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the only service members hurt or killed were Americans. Matthew Hollamby, the incident controller of the Northern Territory, issued a statement saying Australia’s thoughts were with the families of those who died and everyone who was in the hospital recovering. He wished them a “fast and full recovery.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin posted a statement on X, saying the Marines who died “served our country with courage and pride.”
We tragically lost service members during a training exercise in Australia overnight. These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) August 27, 2023
Austin offered his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and those who were injured.
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