Three US Marines killed in Australia training exercise identified by Marine Corps.
Tragic Crash Claims Lives of Three U.S. Marines in Australian Training Exercise
On Monday, a training exercise in Darwin, Australia took a devastating turn when an American MV-22B Osprey aircraft carrying U.S. Marines crashed, resulting in the loss of three lives. The fallen Marines have been identified as Captain Eleanor V LeBeau, Corporal Spencer R Collart, and Major Tobin J Lewis.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three respected and beloved members of the MRF-D family,” said Col Brendan Sullivan, commanding officer of the Marine Rotational Force Darwin.
The aircraft caught fire during Exercise Predators Run, leading to the tragic crash. The incident occurred on Melville Island, off the coast of Northern Territory, Australia. Out of the 23 Marines on board, 20 sustained injuries, with five in serious condition.
“At present, we remain focused on required support to the ongoing recovery and investigative efforts,” added Sullivan.
Currently, three Marines are still receiving treatment at Royal Darwin Hospital, with one in critical condition. The other two are in stable condition. The remaining 17 Marines were treated for minor injuries and have been released.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles expressed her gratitude for the swift response in transporting the injured Marines to the hospital.
“It’s… a credit to everyone involved that we were able to get 20 patients from an extremely remote location on an island into our tertiary hospital within a matter of hours,” Fyles told reporters.
The fallen Marines had remarkable careers and received numerous service medals and awards. Corporal Collart, originally from Arlington, Virginia, enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2020 and was promoted to Corporal in February 2023. Captain LeBeau, originally from Belleville, Illinois, piloted the aircraft during the crash and was commended for her efforts in saving the lives of 20 others. Major Lewis, originally from Jefferson, Colorado, had a decorated career spanning over a decade.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid tribute to the fallen Marines on social media, expressing his condolences to their families and the entire USMC family.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. This is not the first time the Osprey aircraft has been involved in a fatal incident, with previous crashes resulting in casualties. The military exercise, Exercise Predators Run, has been paused following this tragic incident.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, emergency responders were amazed by the number of survivors in such a catastrophic event.
“For a chopper that crashes and catches fire, to have 20 Marines that are surviving, I think that’s an incredible outcome,” said Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the fallen Marines and the injured troops as they navigate through this difficult time.
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